Three private universities were fined Tk 10 lakh each by the country’s apex court for admitting students beyond the approved intake limit set by University Grants Commission. These are South East University, Eastern University and Islamia University. They were asked to give the money to liver transplant units of BIRDEM General Hospital and Kidney Foundation Hospital. A six-member Bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after disposing of three separate review petitions filed by Bangladesh Bar Council seeking necessary order to fine the universities for violating the UGC directives. The universities had also admitted their fault. The UGC on April 23, 2014 issued a directive saying that the private universities cannot admit more than 50 students in the law faculties per semester. The Bar Council on October 1 last year issued a notification saying that it will not issue registration cards beyond 50 candidates (LLB Honours), who graduate from the private universities per semester. Earlier, the Bar Council decided not to give registration cards to the candidates who graduated from 11 private universities, for violating UGC’s directive.
The number of approved private universities in the country is about 100. But it is now in public knowledge that some universities should not have been given permission as universities. These universities were controversial for a long time. Because these private universities had no preparations to be universities, so those who obtained permission for running these universities they had business interest in mind from the beginning. It was possible in our party politics where corruption is a high priority and good education is unimportant. These unwarranted universities have no permanent campus and no worthy teachers and other facilities. They relied on business of selling degree certificates. It was also known to everybody and punishing action has not been publicly taken. There should have been some criminal cases for issuing false degree certificates. So it is no use of talking of law in a situation where the government itself does not believe in the rule of laws. Lawlessness is everywhere.
Most of the public institutions have become places of personal gain filled with incompetent favourites of the government. Competence or honesty is no consideration. Otherwise it is not for the courts to chastise private universities which has nothing to worry about violation of laws and regulations. The question should be rightly asked for the government to explain where law prevails fairly and honestly. The UGC has proved useless for the good management of the universities. Let it justify why so much public money should be spent on high costly but incompetent officials. They can only point out at the many other government institutions.
