Noncompliant pvt universities to face music: Nahid

Despite putting a continuous pressure, the government finds it hard to keep some private universities on the right track, said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.

"They [these universities] did not leave any choice but to take legal action against them," he said while addressing the 5th convocation of Dhaka International University (DIU) at the Krishibid Institute Bangladesh in the capital yesterday.

He said the universities that did not move to permanent campuses and are still continuing academic activities in many campuses cannot run like this for long.

The minister's remarks came against the backdrop of the repeated failure of some of the private universities to shift to their permanent campuses.

The Private University Act-2010 makes it compulsory for a private university to have a permanent campus within seven years of launching.

Soon after the passage of the act in 2010, the education ministry insisted the authorities of the private universities to move to their permanent campuses. It has so far given four deadlines to the universities and the last one ended on January 31.

Regarding the universities' non-compliance with campus relocation, the ministry warned them of cancelling the temporary approval they received from the government and directed them to stop admitting new students.

But, still a number of universities have not moved to their campuses completely.

Presiding over yesterday's convocation, Nahid urged all the entrepreneurs of private universities to give up profit-making mentality.

He also called for the private university authorities to set all expenses including admission and tuition fees considering people's socio-economic condition.

A total of 1,611 students received degrees at the convocation. Two students received Chancellor's Award while seven received Vice-Chancellor's Award and three received Dean's Award for their outstanding results.

Congratulating the graduates, the minister said, "You are the lighthouse of the society. The less fortunate and underprivileged sections of the society look up to you. Do enlighten them."

Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government, delivered the convocation speech while Dr S Quadir Patwari, chairman of the university's trustee board, and Prof Dr KM Mohsin, vice-chancellor of the university, also spoke.