Public universities must ensure transparency and accountability in spending as their activities are funded by taxpayers, University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh Chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed said on Thursday.
He made the remarks while inaugurating a day-long workshop titled ‘Budget Preparation and Implementation of Public Universities’ at the UGC Auditorium as the chief guest.
Funds must match actual needs
Professor Mamun Ahmed said the government is prepared to provide necessary funds for the development of higher education, but every taka allocated must be spent based on actual requirements, proper planning and complete transparency.
He said the UGC has taken various initiatives to improve the quality of higher education, develop skilled human resources and prepare students for employment opportunities at home and abroad.
Implementing these initiatives will require substantial financial resources, he said, adding that future expenditure under both revenue and development budgets may rise beyond current levels.
The UGC chairman stressed that while allocating funds according to university demands, authorities must carefully assess the actual needs and spending capacity of institutions.
He said the same evaluation process should apply when considering requests for new manpower.
‘Unused funds raise questions’
Urging public universities to uphold the trust placed in them, Professor Mamun Ahmed said institutions must properly determine their requirements before seeking funds or manpower.
“If allocated funds or approved posts are not utilised within the scheduled timeframe, questions naturally arise over the validity and justification of those demands,” he said.
He emphasised that effective coordination among planning, budget preparation and implementation was essential for efficient resource management.
Balancing autonomy and accountability
Explaining the role of the UGC, Professor Mamun Ahmed said while the government provides financial support to public universities, the institutions conduct their academic activities independently.
He said one of the key responsibilities of the commission is to ensure proper utilisation of state funds while maintaining the dignity and autonomy of universities.
He stressed that university finances belong to taxpayers and that citizens must have confidence that public money is being spent in necessary areas with maximum efficiency.
“Transparency, accountability and good governance must be ensured in the use of public funds. Any lack of transparency in expenditure is unacceptable,” he said.
Better budget management stressed
Presiding over the workshop, UGC Member Professor Dr Md Aslam Hossain said the government and the UGC were taking various initiatives to advance higher education and remained committed to fulfilling government pledges.
He said proper management of state resources was necessary to meet public expectations and strengthen public confidence in higher education institutions.
Ensuring transparency and accountability in budget preparation and implementation requires proper planning, efficient management and optimal utilisation of allocated funds, he added.
UGC Members Professor Dr Abdullah-al-Mamun, Professor Md Mehedi Hasan Khan and Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury attended the event as special guests.
UGC Secretary Dr Md Fakhrul Islam delivered the welcome address.
The workshop was moderated by Md Hafizur Rahman, Deputy Director of the Finance, Accounts and Budget Division at the UGC.
Registrars, directors of finance and accounts divisions and relevant officials from 29 public universities across the country participated in the workshop.
