The National Parliament on Friday passed the Dhaka Central University Bill 2026, a landmark legislation aimed at unifying seven government colleges in the capital under an integrated academic structure.
The move is set to enhance the quality of higher education while addressing long-standing administrative challenges faced by these institutions.
The bill was presented by Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon and passed unanimously through a voice vote, with Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal presiding over the session.
The law seeks to streamline and improve the management of higher education at seven key government colleges- Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College. These colleges, which were previously affiliated with the National University before being incorporated into Dhaka University in 2017, will now be affiliated with the newly formed Dhaka Central University.
Although the initial proposal in the bill suggested grouping the colleges into four academic schools, the final version of the legislation retains the colleges’ distinct identities while academically affiliating them with Dhaka Central University.
The new law introduces a unified structure for managing higher education and research at these colleges. It also paves the way for a central admission process based on SSC and HSC exam results as well as a centralised admission test, allowing students to enroll either at the main campus or at affiliated colleges.
One of the key benefits of the new legislation is the introduction of MPhil and PhD programmes that will be centrally run across all seven colleges, in addition to providing opportunities for teacher development and advanced academic training.
Students of these colleges, who had long advocated for a separate university to address academic grievances with Dhaka University, will now see the realisation of their demand for greater autonomy and improved educational opportunities.
The establishment of Dhaka Central University marks a significant milestone in the advancement of higher education in Bangladesh.
The law addresses decades of academic concerns raised by students who had previously faced issues with the administration and academic policies of Dhaka University. The passage of the bill brings closure to these challenges, marking a new era for higher education in the capital.
