The University Grants Commission (UGC) has denied any corruption in granting permission to open private universities, reports UNB.
In a statement Tuesday the UGC trashed a Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) report that said sections of the education ministry, the UGC and private universities collude with each other in the corruption.
The TIB study report released Monday said corrupt quarters are involved in getting approval of private universities, appointment of their high officials, including vice-chancellors, in exchange of bribe money.
The allegations are sweeping, motivated and baseless, said UGC Deputy Secretary Shamsul Arefin in a press statement.
In its report TIB said the authorities of private universities have to pay Tk 10-30 million illegally to quarters in the Ministry of Education and the UGC for getting the approval to open and operate a university.
"Irregularities and corruption have marked a rise in private universities for lack of transparency, accountability and monitoring," the study said adding that a triangle of 'corruption consensus' has emerged between the private universities and controlling authorities - the Education Ministry and the UGC.
The study report, titled 'Private University: Governance Challenges and Way Forward', also showed that 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 and many private universities are providing fake certificates to students, bagging about Tk 50,000 to Tk 0.3 million for each certificate.
The UGC statement says TIB intentionally published the report to undermine the Education Ministry and UGC and tried to make the country's higher education questionable. "The report is not informative one."
If someone is involved in unethical work, legal action will be taken, the UGC statement said, adding that the Commission (UGC) has already formed a three-member probe committee to investigate the allegations brought in the TIB research report.
