Established in 1996 as the country’s 12th private university, The People’s University of Bangladesh has crossed three decades without a permanent campus.
The university has also not appointed a pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer during this period. Although vice-chancellors have occasionally been appointed, deans of different faculties have at times served as acting vice-chancellors.
Yet, academic activities continue as usual.
The situation at The People’s University reflects a broader challenge in Bangladesh’s private higher education sector, where many institutions continue operations despite failing to meet key regulatory requirements.
Of the country’s 117 private universities, only 54 have permanent campuses. Even among these, only 22 received certification from the University Grants Commission (UGC) last year after fulfilling all conditions required for academic operations.
This means 95 private universities do not have UGC certification.
The People’s University Registrar Md Monirul Islam said the university had prepared a panel for the posts of vice-chancellor and treasurer and would submit it to the UGC within a few days.
Asked why the university had failed to appoint a pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer even after 30 years of establishment, he said, “This did not happen for many reasons. However, the treasurer will be appointed soon. Besides, we are a small university, so we do not have the post of pro-vice-chancellor. Deans of different faculties and other officials perform these responsibilities.”
Among the 63 universities without permanent campuses, academic activities have not started at five, while operations of another five have been suspended due to irregularities.
More than half of the remaining private universities still do not have permanent campuses. At least 18 universities have been conducting academic activities for more than 12 years but have failed to move to permanent campuses.
Under the Private University Act, 2010, universities are given seven years after establishment to move to permanent campuses. If they fail within this period, they can seek an additional five-year extension.
Even after the extension, the UGC can take punitive measures, including restricting student admissions. However, examples of such action remain limited.
Warnings instead of action
Several UGC officials said many university founders initially received approval to establish institutions as non-profit organisations but later exercised excessive control over administration and finances.
They alleged that founders often form boards of trustees with family members and loyal associates, allowing them to control university affairs.
A former UGC member, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TIMES, “University owners use political and administrative influence. This is why the UGC cannot take strict action.”
He said the UGC prepared a report last year identifying weaknesses in 80 universities and suggesting corrective measures.
“Even a list of 20 to 22 universities was prepared for taking strict action. But the authorities were not willing to take final action,” he said.
Instead, the UGC has mainly relied on warnings.
In 2024, the commission warned students against enrolling in 35 universities and advised them to check the UGC website before admission.
The commission said it would not take responsibility if students were later deceived.
This year, the UGC placed eight universities on its red list and advised guardians to remain cautious before admission. It also suspended new student admissions from January 2026 in all programmes of two universities.
Victoria University remains on red list
Victoria University of Bangladesh, established in 2003, is among the institutions placed on the red list this year.
After its establishment, the university conducted academic activities for around two decades from an unapproved building and campus in the capital.
In 2023, the UGC imposed a ban on new student admissions.
Md Imam Uddin, an official from the office of the vice-chancellor of Victoria University, told TIMES that the UGC raised objections regarding the university’s campus and building in 2013.
“After that, we changed the building and informed the UGC. However, the UGC did not approve of our building. We are now in the process of permanently relocating to Cumilla,” he said.
Asked how the university continued academic activities despite lacking UGC approval for its building and campus, he declined to comment.
“This is a management issue,” he said before ending the call.
The issue of private universities exerting political and administrative influence over the UGC has come under greater scrutiny this time through an analysis of two UGC reports.
In its 2024 report, the UGC listed the European University of Bangladesh as a university operating academic activities from a permanent campus. However, the 2026 report states that the university has less land for its permanent campus than the amount required by law. The university has also topped this year’s red list of institutions considered to be at the highest risk.
Another former UGC member told TIMES, “Despite repeated reminders for a long time, members of the boards of trustees have not taken any initiative to make universities sustainable.”
“There are many internal issues. These matters are an open secret. If government and UGC policymakers wanted, everything could have been fixed. But they become managed,” he said.
TIMES contacted Jesmin Pervin, director of the UGC’s Private University Management Division, for two weeks regarding the issue.
After visiting her office twice, she said she would provide information later. However, she later stopped answering calls and did not respond to messages.
70 per cent universities lack VC panel strength
The governance crisis extends beyond permanent campuses.
Recently, the government approved Eco University of Science and Technology (EUST) in Thakurgaon as the country’s 117th private university.
Earlier, during the Awami League government’s tenure, 60 private universities were approved between 2012 and 2023.
According to the latest July data from the UGC, 39 private universities do not have regular vice-chancellors.
Additionally, 96 universities do not have pro-vice-chancellors and 47 do not have treasurers.
An analysis of the UGC’s 50th annual report shows that 77 universities do not have the minimum nine professors required to form a panel of candidates for the three top posts: vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer.
Under the Private University Act, 2010, the board of trustees must prepare a panel of nine professors – three candidates for each post – and send it to the Ministry of Education.
After verification through the UGC, the ministry forwards the names to the chancellor, who appoints officials to the posts.
According to the UGC’s 2023 annual report, 952 full-time professors were employed in 110 universities.
However, 77 universities had fewer than nine professors. Another 21 universities had 20 or fewer professors, while only 11 universities had more than 20 professors.
Nine universities were operating with only one professor, while four universities conducting academic activities had no professors at all.
Around 70 per cent of private universities also lack the required number of professors to prepare panels for appointing vice-chancellors.
A UGC official said private universities rarely nominate their own teachers for vice-chancellor appointment panels.
“In most cases, private universities outsource their vice-chancellors. They want to appoint teachers from public universities or retired academics,” he said.
According to the Private University Act, 2010, when a subject is introduced with a master’s programme, a university must have at least four teachers – one professor, one associate professor, and two lecturers or assistant professors.
Therefore, the absence of professors in departments creates a major academic gap.
‘These cannot be called universities’
Dhaka University Professor and educationist Kamrul Hassan Mamun said private universities in Bangladesh often operate differently from international models.
“Private universities around the world are run by trustee boards. Nobody takes away the profits. A university cannot have an owner,” he said.
“But in our country, boards of trustees become owners. Founders create trustee boards with their own people so that they can run everything according to their wishes. Later, their children take over those positions,” he added.
He said the vice-chancellor is responsible for overseeing university administration, while deans and department heads supervise academic activities.
“When there is no one in a responsible position like vice-chancellor, university owners get the opportunity to run institutions according to their wishes,” he said.
“They consider appointing a vice-chancellor an additional expense. In reality, these cannot be called universities.”
