"Landless and homeless" - what kind of public universities are these

The more you learn about Bangladesh's education system, the more astonishing it becomes. Such an extraordinary education system is hardly found anywhere else in the world. Two decades have passed since the beginning of the twenty-first century. People are dreaming of buying land on Mars. And surprisingly, Bangladesh's 14 approved universities lack land and buildings. Eighteen public universities are operating in college classrooms, school buildings, and rented spaces.

According to information published in the media yesterday, Wednesday (May 8), among these universities are Rabindra University, Khulna Agricultural University, Chittagong Medical University, Rajshahi Medical University, Chandpur University of Science and Technology, and Habiganj Agricultural University, along with several others. According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), the number of public universities without their own campuses is 18.

Most of these universities are specialized in science and technology, digital, and agricultural education. The government enacted laws for the establishment of these universities in 2013 and subsequent years. Since then, teachers have been recruited, and students have been admitted. However, permanent campuses have not been established for all of them. Construction work for three permanent campuses is underway. Land acquisition has been done for some of them for the establishment of permanent campuses. However, 14 of them lack land and buildings.

The question is, how do universities get approval without land acquisition? And even if they do, how do they start recruiting teachers, admitting students, and commencing academic activities without establishing their own campuses? These aren't ordinary schools where classes start in temporary rented spaces and later move to more convenient locations. The grand concept of a university is indeed its paradox. Apart from being government universities, why haven't land acquisitions been made or private buildings been established in so many years? This doesn't seem to be a logical matter.

It's true that substantial funds have been proposed for each university's own campus projects. For example, plans have been made to acquire 225 acres of land and establish a private campus for Rabindra University, with an estimated expenditure of nearly 1,938 crore taka. However, the government is currently under financial strain. Therefore, there are doubts about when such large-scale projects will receive approval.

After the passage of the law and the establishment of universities narrowly, skilled teachers are often not recruited. As a result, students are only completing undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Lack of practical education in agricultural and technological universities is causing students to face various disadvantages. There are also allegations of corruption against many universities. The UGC has stated that there are now 55 public universities in the country, with approval (law) for six more.

Despite their numerical abundance, allegations exist regarding the quality of these universities. Just a few days ago (May 1), the UK-based education magazine "Times Higher Education" released its list of Asia's top universities for 2024. Many were dismayed to find that none of Bangladesh's universities made it to the list of the top 300 universities in Asia. If this trend continues, what will be the outcome?

In the country's education expansion, the government often emphasizes its significant role in the establishment and promotion of universities. However, merely passing laws for university establishment on paper does not equate to actual educational development. Establishing a university requires appropriate and effective arrangements. We hope that the relevant authorities and ministries will take urgent measures on this matter.