FE Report
The National University (NU) authorities have expressed concern over the directive of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to include the state-run colleges under regional public universities, separating those from the existing NU administration.
They laid emphasis on conducting intensive research before taking such an academic decision as the university has already adopted a well-recognised system.
The university authorities made the observation at a special senate meeting on 'Ensuring quality education and reducing academic gridlock of the National University' held on the NU campus on Saturday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed concern over the functioning of the university's administration and suggested the authorities to include the government colleges under the regional public universities.
At the very beginning of the senate session, the university's vice chancellor and also chair of the meeting Prof Dr Harun-or-Rashid outlined an action plan to expedite the university's functions.
Out of 69 senate members, some 37 members including members of parliament (MPs), academicians and civil society members, among others, took part at the discussion.
Senate member and also former Vice Chancellor of the Jahangirnagar University (JU) Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir said the PM's opinion of separating state-run colleges from the country's largest university requires more study and analysis.
"A high-powered committee comprising prominent academicians should be formed to scrutinise the decision of separating the government colleges from the existing administration, otherwise the university may face severe crisis in future," Prof Kabir said adding that taking the PM's opinion as a shelter, a deep-rooted conspiracy is going on against the chain university.
The professor, also member of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission, said a group of unscrupulous people might have misguided Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina relating to the issue.
He proposed employing six pro-vice chancellors for every regional centre of the university to expedite the university's function and ensure quality of education.
Another senate member and also Dhaka University Professor Dr M Wahiduzzaman said those who are active to divide the NU are actually working to promote private universities in the country.
He said majority of the public universities have already been facing severe academic session jams.
"They have failed to manage their own academic institutions, how can they manage other colleges where over 2.0 million students are enrolled?" the professor posed the question adding that if the colleges are included under the regional public universities, then it will create a problem for them as well.
Presently, NU has some 2.1 million students of whom 1.29 million are under the state-run colleges, while 0.81 million under its affiliated private colleges which cover nearly 70 per cent of the country's tertiary education.
