Govt approves two new private universities

The government has approved two new private universities, bringing the total of such institutions in Bangladesh to 99.

The approval was given amid questions over the standards of education at the existing private universities.

The two new universities are Khan Bahadur Ahsanullah in Khulna and Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology in Rajshahi.

Secondary and Higher Education Division’s Additional Secretary Md Mohiuddin Khan told bdnews24.com that a notice has already been issued for the new universities.

Eight more universities are awaiting approval, said an education ministry official.

Dhaka Ahsania Mission President Kazi Rafiqul Alam is the founder of the two approved universities.

Twenty-three conditions have been tagged to the approval for the two new universities. As many as 33 private universities have failed to meet the criteria of establishing permanent campuses despite repeated reminders by the government. Some universities faced allegations of substandard education.

Eight await government nod

The government is actively working to approve eight more universities out of more than a hundred that applied to the education ministry.

State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing has applied for establishing a private university, named Bandarban University.

Shamsul Alam, a Bangladeshi expatriate in Singapore, has applied for setting up Shah Mokhdum University, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Rowshan Ershad for Rowshan Ershad International University Bangladesh, former Jatiya Party MP HM Golam Reza for Singapore University of Bangladesh, MP Shamsul Alam Bhuiyan for Apollo University of Science and Technology, Chief Whip ASM Feroz for South Region University, Engineer AKM Mosharraf Hussain for International Standard University, Bangladesh Bauddha Kristi Prachar Sangha President Suddhananda Mahathero

for Sanghanayek Sradmananda Mahathero University of Ateesh Dipankar.