Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid Thursday asked the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Thursday to apologise to the nation for their misleading report on private universities, and withdraw it immediately, reports UNB.
Making statements on a private member's resolution in parliament, the minister said: "I'm asking them (TIB) to withdraw their report or prove it. If you (TIB) can't prove it, then you'll have to withdraw it, or else, you'll have to apologise to people."
He claimed that the TIB did not have any proof in their hands; they just published the report to put the government in an uncomfortable situation.
The TIB in a report on June 30 said the authorities of private universities have to pay a Tk 10-30 million illegally to quarters in the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) for getting the approval to set up and operate a university.
In the study report, titled 'Private University: Governance Challenges and Way Forward', the TIB also said the authorities have to pay a bribe of Tk 50,000 to Tk 0.2 million to get the approval to appoint vice chancellor, pro-vice chancellor or treasure of the universities.
The TIB in its report claimed that many private universities are providing fake certificates to students, bagging about Tk 50,000 to Tk 0.3 million each certificate.
In the wake of the report, Nahid said, the education ministry launched an enquiry Thursday. "I'll urge them to provide proof, we'll then accept any punishment," he said.
The minister said the TIB claimed that they have been investigating the matter for two years. "But they didn't come to us. We're not accepting their report," he said.
