UGC lacks legal teeth to tackle terror-tainted varsities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has no strict legal provision to act against private universities if they get involved in militant or subversive activities. In order to take temporary permission for opening a private university, Article 6(10) of the Private University Act 2010 prescribes that the proposed institution should not be able to participate directly or indirectly in activities that are against the independence of Bangladesh, its sovereignty, and national or students’ interest, and it should not patronise any individual or organisation that can cause terror or militancy.
The provision, however, does not say anything on what action can be taken against a private university that is involved in such activities. “This is a weakness of the law,” UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan told The Independent yesterday.
“The terror attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia have shocked the country as the perpetrators were students from renowned private universities and affluent classes,” the UGC chief said.
“When any private university student gets involved in militant acts, we should take action against him. But we lack legal provision to do so,” he added.
“We have very limited power given by the law to take action against irregularities by private universities. We are failing to strongly monitor them due to weakness of law. No commission in other countries suffers from helplessness like us,” he said.
Prof. Mannan said UGC investigators had found printed books of the banned militant outfit Hizb-ut Tahrir in the NSU library last October. “We had reported this to the education ministry. But we do not know what action was taken,” he added.
A four-member probe team, led by UGC member Prof. Dr Dil Afroze Begum, visited NSU yesterday and suggested the authority of the university to increase vigilance on students and set a clear recruitment policy for teachers.
Asked if UGC would also send such a team to BRAC University as one of its students was involved in the Gulshan café incident, UGC chairman said they have limited manpower, but would do so gradually.
Prof. Mannan also said they have sent a circular to the private universities to know how many foreign teachers were teaching there and if they have work permits and bank accounts.
The recent hostage crisis at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan in Dhaka had sent tremors at both home and abroad. The Islamic States (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack and posted images of the five attackers on its website.
The government, however, said they were members of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB).
But the nation was jolted when it was found that the young killers were from well-heeled families and came from top ranking private universities like North South University (NSU) and BRAC. Even one of the militants killed in the Sholakia shootout on Eid day was a student of NSU.
The NSU authorities, however, said the militants were former students, claiming that it was very difficult to monitor all students as they passed most of their time outside the campus.
They, however, assured the government that they will rusticate any student found to absent for a semester.
The assurance has failed to placate the government, with education minister Nurul Islam Nahid saying that the NSU decision to rusticate students was nothing but a ploy to avoid the main issue.
Most interestingly, all the six militants involved in the Gulshan attack had been missing for the past several months.

UGC lacks legal teeth to tackle terror-tainted varsities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has no strict legal provision to act against private universities if they get involved in militant or subversive activities. In order to take temporary permission for opening a private university, Article 6(10) of the Private University Act 2010 prescribes that the proposed institution should not be able to participate directly or indirectly in activities that are against the independence of Bangladesh, its sovereignty, and national or students interest, and it should not patronise any individual or organisation that can cause terror or militancy. The provision, however, does not say anything on what action can be taken against a private university that is involved in such activities. This is a weakness of the law, UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan told The Independent yesterday. The terror attacks in Gulshan and Sholakia have shocked the country as the perpetrators were students from renowned private universities and affluent classes, the UGC chief said. When any private university student gets involved in militant acts, we should take action against him. But we lack legal provision to do so, he added. We have very limited power given by the law to take action against irregularities by private universities. We are failing to strongly monitor them due to weakness of law. No commission in other countries suffers from helplessness like us, he said. Prof. Mannan said UGC investigators had found printed books of the banned militant outfit Hizb-ut Tahrir in the NSU library last October. We had reported this to the education ministry. But we do not know what action was taken, he added. A four-member probe team, led by UGC member Prof. Dr Dil Afroze Begum, visited NSU yesterday and suggested the authority of the university to increase vigilance on students and set a clear recruitment policy for teachers. Asked if UGC would also send such a team to BRAC University as one of its students was involved in the Gulshan caf incident, UGC chairman said they have limited manpower, but would do so gradually. Prof. Mannan also said they have sent a circular to the private universities to know how many foreign teachers were teaching there and if they have work permits and bank accounts. The recent hostage crisis at Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan in Dhaka had sent tremors at both home and abroad. The Islamic States (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack and posted images of the five attackers on its website. The government, however, said they were members of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB). But the nation was jolted when it was found that the young killers were from well-heeled families and came from top ranking private universities like North South University (NSU) and BRAC. Even one of the militants killed in the Sholakia shootout on Eid day was a student of NSU. The NSU authorities, however, said the militants were former students, claiming that it was very difficult to monitor all students as they passed most of their time outside the campus. They, however, assured the government that they will rusticate any student found to absent for a semester. The assurance has failed to placate the government, with education minister Nurul Islam Nahid saying that the NSU decision to rusticate students was nothing but a ploy to avoid the main issue. Most interestingly, all the six militants involved in the Gulshan attack had been missing for the past several months.