No decision yet about Darul Ihsan students

Students can seek compensation: Nahid

The government shut down all activities of Darul Ihsan University on Tuesday as per a High Court (HC) order, but no decision has yet been taken about the future of its students.
University Grants Commission (UGC) sources said that in such a situation, students are generally transferred to other universities. However, it all depends on the education ministry. The students are obviously worried. They are wondering whether they will get their certificates, and even if they do, will they be valid and get them jobs.  After DCs’ conference at the Secretariat, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid told journalists yesterday that the students could seek a compensation of Tk. 5 lakh each from the university authorities.
“Darul Ihsan ran a business of certificates in exchange for money after opening many illegal branches. We closed it, but they continued their activities after obtaining a stay order from the court. The HC has now ordered its shutdown and  action against the authorities,” he said. “Ifa student has to stop his studies midway, he/she can seek Tk 5 lakh as compensation,” he said. The government would assist the student in getting the compensation, he added.
Visiting Darul Ihsan’s main campus at House–21, Road-9/A, Dhanmondi, this correspondent found it locked. The signboards were defaced with black paint.
Security guard Shariful Islam said the university authorities had told him to keep the gates locked. Golapi Rani, who was a student of library science, said: “I came here on Monday for my certificate. I was told to come today, but the gate is closed. No one is there with whom I can talk about it. I need my certificate as I will be applying for a job. I don’t know what is in store for me.”
Maruf Ahmed, a third-semester student of computer science and engineering, said: “As the university has been shut down, my future has become uncertain.” The UGC has deleted the name of Darul Ihsan University from the list of private universities on its website. The number of private universities now stands at 94.
“An investigation team of the UGC found several irregularities, including selling of certificates, at the university in 2006 and recommended that it be shut down. When the government ordered its closure, the university authorities filed a writ petition and continued its activities following the court’s order. As the court has now ordered to shut down the university, the education ministry moved to close it immediately,” UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan said.
He further said that the ministry would decide about the future of the students and their certificates.
The education ministry also ordered shutting down of the university’s outer campuses as per the court directive. “As per law, private universities can’t run outer campuses. If a student does not know the campus, its vice-chancellor and its activities, it can’t be a full university. If the university is located in Chittagong, it will run its activities there, not in Dhaka,” Nahid said.  About the outer campuses, the UGC chairman said: “We’ve to take a decision as the court has ordered for their clousure. No one can admit students in the outer campus.”
UGC sources said two private universities, BGC Trust University Bangladesh and IBAIS University, are running outer campuses after obtaining the court’s stay order.
Private universities like BGC Trust University Bangladesh, International Islamic University, Chittagong, Southern University of Bangladesh and Sonargaon University are running unauthorised campuses.
Of them, BGC Trust University Bangladesh has one unauthorised campus, International Islamic University, Chittagong, has five unapproved campuses, Southern University of Bangladesh has seven unauthorised campuses.
Besides, the government has ordered closure of America Bangladesh University, but it is carrying on its activities on the strength of a stay order.
Two universities, Sylhet Int’l University and Britannia University, Comilla, have a conflict in their boards of trustees.
The UGC said they are investigating irregularities of private universities and would submit its report later.
The UGC chairman said, “The education ministry and the UGC will not take any responsibility of students who join unauthorised universities.”

 

No decision yet about Darul Ihsan students

Students can seek compensation: Nahid

The government shut down all activities of Darul Ihsan University on Tuesday as per a High Court (HC) order, but no decision has yet been taken about the future of its students. University Grants Commission (UGC) sources said that in such a situation, students are generally transferred to other universities. However, it all depends on the education ministry. The students are obviously worried. They are wondering whether they will get their certificates, and even if they do, will they be valid and get them jobs. After DCs conference at the Secretariat, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid told journalists yesterday that the students could seek a compensation of Tk. 5 lakh each from the university authorities. Darul Ihsan ran a business of certificates in exchange for money after opening many illegal branches. We closed it, but they continued their activities after obtaining a stay order from the court. The HC has now ordered its shutdown and action against the authorities, he said. Ifa student has to stop his studies midway, he/she can seek Tk 5 lakh as compensation, he said. The government would assist the student in getting the compensation, he added. Visiting Darul Ihsans main campus at House21, Road-9/A, Dhanmondi, this correspondent found it locked. The signboards were defaced with black paint. Security guard Shariful Islam said the university authorities had told him to keep the gates locked. Golapi Rani, who was a student of library science, said: I came here on Monday for my certificate. I was told to come today, but the gate is closed. No one is there with whom I can talk about it. I need my certificate as I will be applying for a job. I dont know what is in store for me. Maruf Ahmed, a third-semester student of computer science and engineering, said: As the university has been shut down, my future has become uncertain. The UGC has deleted the name of Darul Ihsan University from the list of private universities on its website. The number of private universities now stands at 94. An investigation team of the UGC found several irregularities, including selling of certificates, at the university in 2006 and recommended that it be shut down. When the government ordered its closure, the university authorities filed a writ petition and continued its activities following the courts order. As the court has now ordered to shut down the university, the education ministry moved to close it immediately, UGC chairman Prof. Abdul Mannan said. He further said that the ministry would decide about the future of the students and their certificates. The education ministry also ordered shutting down of the universitys outer campuses as per the court directive. As per law, private universities cant run outer campuses. If a student does not know the campus, its vice-chancellor and its activities, it cant be a full university. If the university is located in Chittagong, it will run its activities there, not in Dhaka, Nahid said. About the outer campuses, the UGC chairman said: Weve to take a decision as the court has ordered for their clousure. No one can admit students in the outer campus. UGC sources said two private universities, BGC Trust University Bangladesh and IBAIS University, are running outer campuses after obtaining the courts stay order. Private universities like BGC Trust University Bangladesh, International Islamic University, Chittagong, Southern University of Bangladesh and Sonargaon University are running unauthorised campuses. Of them, BGC Trust University Bangladesh has one unauthorised campus, International Islamic University, Chittagong, has five unapproved campuses, Southern University of Bangladesh has seven unauthorised campuses. Besides, the government has ordered closure of America Bangladesh University, but it is carrying on its activities on the strength of a stay order. Two universities, Sylhet Intl University and Britannia University, Comilla, have a conflict in their boards of trustees. The UGC said they are investigating irregularities of private universities and would submit its report later. The UGC chairman said, The education ministry and the UGC will not take any responsibility of students who join unauthorised universities.