Many private univs not playing by rules

Many private universities are flouting laws as they are running programmes without any approval and carrying out educational activities on "unauthorised" campuses.

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is set to alert students who are intending to get admitted to the universities that are flouting The Private University Act 2010.

The commission will warn at least 21 universities for flouting the laws.

"We will ask these universities to abide by the law properly, otherwise they will face  the music," UGC member Prof Muhammed Alamgir told The Daily Star.

He said they would take action while keeping in mind the students now studying at the universities.

"We do not want to take stern actions like closing the universities as future of students are tied to them. We will [rather] ask them to stop the unapproved programmes. O00therwise we will put an end to those."

Regarding other problems, Alamgir said they would sit with all private university authorities to find out possible solutions.

"We will discuss a timeline with them to implement the changes," he added.

For example, UGC found out that North South University (NSU) is running unapproved BBA programmes.

The university got approval for running Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) but they are running General BBA, Finance BBA, BBA in Human Resource Management, BBA in International Business, BBA in Marketing, BBA in Management, BBA in Management Information Systems, BBA in Accounting, BBA in Economics, BBA in Entrepreneurship and BBA Supply Chain Management, according to UGC.

Contacted, NSU Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Atiqul Islam said they are in discussion with UGC regarding the matter. "We have already applied for the approval of the

courses and it is under process, " he said.

Meanwhile, Southern University Bangladesh, ZH Sikder University of Science and Technology, Pundra University of Science and Technology, Gano Biswabidyalaya, Sylhet International University, Asian University of Bangladesh, Times University Bangladesh are also running unapproved programmes, said UGC.

At the same time, University of Development Alternative, Daffodil International University, Victoria University of Bangladesh and Southeast University are operating unauthorised campuses.

Southeast University VC Prof AFM Mafizul Islam said they are constructing permanent campus at Tejgaon and several departments are already running academic activities from there.

"We are trying to shift all of our activities to the permanent campus by March next year," he said.

Contacted, director of students' affairs at Daffodil university Syed Mizanur Rahman Raju said they have stopped enrolling students at their Sukrabad campuses.

"Many students are shifting to our permanent campus in Ashulia," he added.

UGC also said trustees of Britannia University, Sylhet International University, IBAIS University, Southern University Bangladesh and Cox's Bazar International University are in conflict among themselves over ownership issue.

America Bangladesh University was closed down by the government but they are running activities with a court order.

The government also closed down Queens University and later in 2015 approved the university to run for one year with some conditions.

There are 107 private universities in the country. According to the UGC, around 350,000 students study at those universities.

The country's first private university was established in 1992.