TDS Desk:

Education Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Tuesday said the government plans to establish a separate university comprising seven government colleges previously affiliated with Dhaka University (DU).

“However, the process involves significant complexity,” he said while responding to questions from journalists.

The adviser said: “Creating a new university takes time. It cannot be done in three days. There are structural considerations and ongoing work to determine its model because it is a complicated process.

“Eight years ago, a government affiliated these seven colleges to the University of Dhaka without proper evaluation, which has caused significant issues. These seven colleges will now be formed into a new, separate university.”

Wahiduddin continued: “One must remember that establishing a university has long-term implications. It concerns the interests of students for many years to come. Therefore, we cannot rush into hasty, thoughtless decisions. Everything will be done carefully and thoughtfully.”

The adviser said: “To establish a university, a constitution must first be created. This includes appointing teachers and addressing many other aspects. There are also legal and financial considerations, along with the requirement for accreditation, which must be granted at the highest level of the state. Only then can a university be officially established.”

Highlighting the legalities, he said: “Enrolling students in any institution before receiving accreditation is entirely illegal. The authorities of the University of Dhaka and the seven colleges have decided to conduct separate admissions from the upcoming session. Therefore, future applicants must go through a specific process to get admitted.”

Regarding the admission process for the current academic year, the education adviser added: “For the upcoming 2024–25 academic year, the opinions of college students will be considered. Decisions will be made based on discussions with them.”