Private university law to ensure standards, good management

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday said the government has formulated a private university law in a bid to ensure discipline, progress, standards and good management in the country's private universities.
"We have made the law more time-befitting after consultations and discussions with the people concerned. We did not make haste in doing so, rather we took time for discussions."
"The law will soon be placed in the parliament," the minister added.
Nahid said this as the chief guest at a function on the occasion of the ninth founding anniversary of Daffodil International University (DIU) at Kalabagan playground in the city.
He said many of 51 private universities did not succeed, though some of them do significantly well over the years.
"Who will take the responsibility of these unsuccessful universities?" he put a question, with a reluctance that why would students get admitted to the universities which failed to keep their promises of switching to own campuses within five years.
The minister said the government updated the private university law for the sake of ensuring good management and standards of education in those universities.
University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Nazrul Islam, DIU Vice Chancellor Prof Aminul Islam, Adviser Prof M Shahjahan Mia and deans of different faculties also spoke.
Sabur Khan, chairman of the board of governors of the university, presided over the function.
The cabinet on January 25 approved the draft of amended Private University Bill 2009. The bill is waiting for vetting of the law ministry, said the education ministry.
The Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB), however, urged the government to stop further processing the draft of Private University Bill 2009, saying that if passed, it would create an impasse in the higher education sector.
At a press conference on Tuesday, APUB leaders called on the government to evaluate the matter anew and bring necessary amendments to the existing act.