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Let Green University run smoothly

Zainal Abedin | 26.06.2006 22:10

Stop the barriers to successful higher education in Bangladesh

One of the most promising educational institutes of the country, Green University of Bangladesh (GUB) deserves to be run smoothly without facing uneasy and fake charges. Established in 2003, the university is run with reputation. At the moment the university has sufficient teachers housed in a nice building and imparts quality education in four fields: Business, Law, Computer Science and Engineering. The former Vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University (August '94 — February '97) Prof. Dr. M Yousuf Ali, now acts as the Vice-chancellor of GUB. Both the students and their guardians are pleased with the academic facilities, quality of the teachers and campus environment. The university fulfills all the preconditions, formalities and guidelines mentioned in the Private University Act '92.

But GUB faces some untoward impediments. It is learnt that though the students of MBA (Executive) completed their academic courses and their results have also been declared, cannot get their certificates, as the university cannot hold convocation due to an undesirable recommendation of Private University Inquiry Committee. This recommendation impedes the normal activities of GUB causing a great problem to the students and those who have already passed successfully from the university.

GUB informs that the allegations and charges that were brought against the university are totally imaginary and beyond the code of Private University Act-92. GUB clarified and rejected all the allegations raised against it by the Inquiry Committee of University Grants Commission (UGC). Though the Private University Act-92 permits a university to develop infrastructures in its own campus within the five years of getting government appellation, the inquiry committee raised this allegation within the two years of its existence that it does not run in its own campus. This allegation caused the image of the university to a great extent. The GUB authority is determined to shift it to its own campus before the expiry of five years.

The GUB authorities clarified the allegation that they started Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Bachelor of Law courses without getting their syllabus approved by the UGC. The reality is this that the syllabus of these courses was sent to UGC on March 30, 2004 for its approval. The list of concerned laboratory facilities and teachers were also sent to UGC on June 16 of the same year. But the UGC did not send any letter/circular to GUB regarding non-acceptance/non-approval of its syllabuses. The sub-clause No. 2(1) of clause No. 15 of the Private University Act says, if any syllabus is sent to UGC, it is either to be approved or rejected and duly informed to the concerned private university within three months. If the concerned university does not get any written letter or reply regarding the negation of the syllabus within three months, the university syllabus is treated as approved. The GUB did not include any unapproved course.

The inquiry committee alleged that at least a full-time teacher was not appointed for each course/subject. GUB immediately appointed full-time teachers for each subject and the list of the teachers was immediately and duly sent to the UGC. It is found that GUB maintains a rich library of 5,000 books

It is unfortunate that though GUB fulfills all the preconditions and formalities, which are required for a private university, its normal activities are deterred and hampered for unknown reason. The GUB deserves the immediate interference of the concerned ministry and authorities in removing all the unexpected impediments that hamper smooth running of the promising university.

Private universities are rendering commendable services to accommodating and imparting quality higher education in the country. Migration of our students to India for higher education has reduced to zero, when private universities started to flourish in Bangladesh. As a result, huge amount of foreign exchanges that used to drain down to India every year as educational expenditure, now remain in our own country. Moreover, many students, who went to India, did not get quality education in the signboard-based educational institutions that mushroomed in India overnight. Flourishing of private universities in Bangladesh bankrupted almost all the Indian educational institutions that were built to accommodate the flow of the Bangladeshi students.

It is alleged India designs to destroy the most successful development in the field of higher education in Bangladesh. The violence that many of the private and public universities have experienced in recent days is alleged to be the manifestation of that design. We are to save our existing universities. If any university suffers from limitations or cannot fulfill the requirements for standard quality education, nation will welcome its closure. But none of the universities, particularly GUB, should be disturbed or harassed for nothing. UGC should immediately look into the matter and allow GUB to run it smoothly.

Zainal Abedin