The government has taken imitative to set up two other public universities in Shariatpur and Thakurgaon with a view to expanding higher education in the country.
The names of the two universities are- Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shariatpur Agriculture University and Thakurgaon University.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni moved the ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shariatpur Agriculture University Bill, 2023’ and ‘Thakurgaon University Bill, 2023’ in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) on Sunday (October 29).
The ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shariatpur Agriculture University Bill, 2023’ was passed unanimously by voice votes with Deputy Speaker Shamsul Huq Tuku in the chair.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shariatpur University is going to be established following an application submitted by Shariatpur-2 lawmaker and Deputy Minister for Water Resources AKM Enamul Haque Shamim.
The ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shariatpur Agriculture University Bill, 2023’ was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad in a view to fostering excellence in agricultural education, research, and extension services.
The bill stated that in addition to agricultural science, the university will create opportunities for higher education and research in other conventional areas. The university will comprise four faculties -- Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Livestock Science and Faculty of Science and Technology.
To keep pace with modern agricultural science and technology, the university aims to draw level with developed countries and provide advanced education in the subject. Higher education and researches will also facilitate innovations of new technology in the area.
Opposition MPs Fakhrul Imam,Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary, Rawshan Ara Mannan, Pir Fazlur Rahman and Hafizuddin Ahmed,among others, also spoke on the advantage of the installation of the university.
On the other hand, the ‘Thakurgaon University Bill, 2023’ was passed in the Jatiya Sangsad in order to create and enhance opportunities of modern knowledge practice and studies in different phases and attaining equality with the advance world in different spheres of higher education.
The bill was passed by voice votes in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
Piloting the bill, the education minister said the establishment of the university is necessary and reasonable in view of developing education, research, training and extension programme at the graduate and post-graduate levels.
The move to set up a public university in Thakurgaon is in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s promise to establish full-fledged public universities in all the districts.
Participating in the discussion on the bill, Jatiya Party MP Rustam Ali Farazi said the government should pay more attention to ensuring quality education in the existing universities to cope with rising world standards.
As per the Strategic Plan for Higher Education (SPHE) in Bangladesh: 2017-2030, new universities will be set up as enrolment in the universities would increase. SPHE 2006 projected that between 1,84,548 and 3,69,095 students would be enrolled in the public universities by 2026.
In view of a fast growing number of graduates, it was proposed that the higher education participation rate of 20 per cent in contrast to the existing 4.04 per cent would be the target to be achieved by the year 2026.
Calling the government to raise allocation for research in different universities, another opposition MP Pir Fazlur Rahman said" the government must have to concentrate that those universities never would become a center for taking preparations for the exams administered by Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC)."
Other opposition MPs Fakhrul Imam,Begum Rawshan Ara Mannan, Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary and Hafizuddin Ahmed also spoke on the bill.
The government is also moving forward to set up three more science and technology universities in Narayanganj, Lakshmipur and Satkhira aiming to develop professional expertise in science and technology education.
According to the University Grants Commission (UGC), there are now 58 public universities in the country and academic activities are going on in 54 of the universities. The number of the public universities would be 63 with these five ones.
Earlier on August 1, the UGC gave permission to three new public universities to start academic activities from the next year.
The universities are Kurigram Agricultural University, Sunamganj Science and Technology University and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Pirojpur.
