7 colleges to continue operating under UGC until new university formed

The current activities of seven government colleges in Dhaka will continue under a unified structure supervised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) until a new university is established, one of its members said today.

As part of this interim arrangement, Prof AKM Elias, recently retired principal of Dhaka College, will be appointed as the administrator, UGC member Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan confirmed it to The Daily Star.

He will assume the role on a contractual basis, he added.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Public Administration today appointed Prof Elias as the principal of Dhaka College on a contractual basis for two years, effective immediately, according to a circular signed by its Deputy Secretary ASM Mahfuzul Alam.

The interim administration's headquarters will be based at Dhaka College. The Ministry of Public Administration is expected to issue a circular regarding the appointment soon, Tanzimuddin added.

Earlier, the government decided to establish Dhaka Central University to bring these seven colleges under a single institutional framework. The proposed university is supposed to adopt a hybrid education model, with 40 percent of classes conducted online and 60 percent held in person.

Unlike the current arrangement, where all subjects are taught at each college, the new system will introduce faculty-based campuses. For instance, Government Titumir College is expected to house the business studies faculty, while other colleges will specialise in different academic disciplines.

However, the establishment of the new university will take time due to necessary legislative approvals, infrastructure development, and administrative preparations.

In the meantime, the UGC will supervise the colleges under a temporary framework, with a principal from one of the seven institutions serving as administrator during the transition.

Yesterday, students issued a 24-hour ultimatum demanding the immediate issuance of a gazette notification to form an interim administrative body for the proposed Dhaka Central University.

They warned of launching tougher programmes if their demand is not met by Sunday. They said they would surround the relevant ministry instead of holding protests on the road which would lead to disruption of public life.

The seven institutions — Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnesa Government College, Government Bangla College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Titumir College, and Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College — were re-affiliated with Dhaka University in 2017.