The government has asked 11 private universities to shift all programmes to their permanent campuses within three months to evade suspension of their respective admission processes. The universities served the ultimatum include Victoria University of Bangladesh, Prime Asia University, Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, Sylhet International University, Metropolitan University, Northern University Bangladesh, University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, Leading University, Stamford University of Bangladesh and Uttara University.
However, sources in some of the universities said they would not be able to shift all their courses to permanent campuses within the deadline. So, they have sought more time from the government, but were yet to get any response, the sources added.
UGC sources said private universities were given a deadline to move to their own campuses for the first time in 2012 after the enactment of the Private University Act, 2010. The second deadline was given in 2013, while the third was given in June 2015 and the fourth in January 2016.
The deadline for shifting to permanent campuses ended on January 31 this year.
Later, the education ministry formed a high-powered committee to decide on the action to be taken against the errant universities.
The committee recommended the stopping of admission procedures if the universities failed to abide by the government’s stipulation.
On 16 August, the education ministry’s deputy secretary (private university), Zinnat Rehena, issued warning letters to these 11 universities.
The letter written to Prime Asia University said it had bought land for a permanent campus at Purbachal, but the construction work was yet to start.
The university was ordered to shift six out of a total of 16 programmes by 31 December. The six programmes are BBA, MBA, BBA in International Tourism and Hospitality Management, LLB (Hons), BSc in Computer Science and Information Technology and BSc in Computer Science and Engineering.
The letter warned that admission to these programmes on temporary campuses would be suspended from January 2018 if the varsity failed to shift them within the given deadline. Similarly, the ministry’s letter to Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology said it had bought designated land at Uttara Third Project for a permanent campus, but the construction work has not begun.
The university was ordered to shift eight programmes out of 26 by 31 December. The eight programmes are BA (Hons) in Fashion Design and Technology, BA(Hons) in Product Design and Technology, MA in Product Design, MBA in Product of Fashion and Merchandising, BBA, MBA, BA(Hons) in English and BA (Hons) in Islamic Studies.
It was also warned of suspension of admission to these programmes from January 2018.
Speaking to The Independent, Hosne Ara Begum, registrar of Shanto Mariam University of Creative Technology, said: “It won’t be possible to shift all the programmes to the permanent campus within the given time. We’ve already written a letter to the ministry to give us time till December 2019, but are yet to get any response.”
“We’re working actively to shift all the programmes. We hope the government would consider our situation,” she added.
The letter to Sylhet International University said it was conducting all its academic activities on a permanent campus at Bagbari in Sylhet, but it did not complete the registration of land in the name of the university.
The government has asked the varsity authorities to complete the registration of land by 30 June 2018. If it failed to do so, the admission procedure will be suspended from 1 July 2018.
“We’re trying to complete the process of transferring the land in the university’s name within the stipulated time. We hope we’ll be able to do it,” Nasrat Afza, registrar of Sylhet International University, said.
The letter to Metropolitan University said it had bought land for a permanent campus at Shahparan Thana in Sylhet. The university has been asked to shift six out of 11 programmes to the permanent campus by 31 December. The programmes are BBA, MBA, Bachelor of Science in Economics (4 years), LLB (Hons), LLB (2 Years) and LLM (1 year and 2 years).
If the university failed to follow the instruction, the admission to the temporary campuses will be suspended from 1 January 2018, the letter warned.
The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh has constructed two buildings for a permanent campus at Mohammadpur in the capital. Three programmes out of 10 are being operated on the permanent campus.
But the remaining seven programmes are being run from temporary campuses. So, the government has instructed the university to shift four programmes out of seven to the permanent campus by 31 December or face suspension of admission from 1 January 2018.
Stamford University has bought land for a permanent campus at Nawabganj in Dhaka, but construction work has not started there yet. It has been instructed to shift 10 out of 33 programmes to the permanent campus by 21 December or face suspension of admission from 1 January 2018. The 10 programmes are BBA, MBA, BA (Hons) in English, LLB (Hons), LLM (two years), BSS in Economics, Masters in Economics (2 years), BSS in Politics and Administration, Bachelor of Public Administration and Masters of Public Administration.
Uttara University is running only 11 programmes out of 34 on its permanent campus in Turag Thana area in Dhaka. So, the government has instructed it to shift 10 more programmes to the permanent campus by 31 December. Otherwise, new admission of students will be suspended from January 1, 2018.
Victoria University has been instructed to shift five programmes out of nine to a permanent campus by 31 December. The university has only bought land for a permanent campus at Chouddyagram in Comilla, but no construction work has started there yet. The university was also warned of suspension of new admissions from 1 January next year.
Northern University has been instructed to shift 10 programmes out of 18 to its permanent campus at Dakhinkhan in Dhaka by the end of this year or face suspension of admission from 1 January 2018.
Leading University has been instructed to shift all programmes to its permanent campus at Kamalbazar in Sylhet by this December. The admission of new students would remain suspended if the authorities failed to follow the instruction.
Leading University vice-chancellor Prof. Kamruzzaman Chowdhury said: “We’re still to get the ministry’s letter. But we’d be able to shift all our programmes to the permanent campus by this year.”