The ongoing process of forming managing committees for private educational institutions across Bangladesh has been suspended until further notice.
The directive was issued in a notification signed on Thursday by Professor Syed Aktaruzzaman, chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and president of the Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee.
Ad-hoc bodies to remain
Speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh, Professor Aktaruzzaman said, “Those who have been elected as guardian members and teacher representatives will remain. Those serving on managing committees on an ad-hoc basis will also remain if there is no breach of rules.
However, the ongoing election process for forming managing committees will remain suspended. A new regulation will be issued soon, following which activities will be conducted accordingly.”
The notification read, “As the new regulations have not been finalised, it is requested that the formation of governing bodies/managing committees of private educational institutions be kept suspended until further notice.”
Private educational institutions are primarily run through governing bodies or managing committees. Managing bodies at the college level are called governing bodies, while those at the secondary level are known as managing committees.
These committees are constituted through the education board.
Criteria amended in 2025
On 31 August 2025, during the tenure of the interim government, regulations governing the governing bodies and managing committees of private educational institutions were amended.
Under those rules, a minimum qualification of a four-year bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree was made mandatory for candidates seeking the position of president of a private college governing body, while a bachelor’s degree or equivalent was required for the president of a private school managing committee.
Under the previous regulations, institution heads were required to consult members of parliament to send three names to the education board for nomination to the post of president from among local public representatives, retired first-class government employees, education enthusiasts, or social workers.
However, the amended regulations introduced a requirement for institution heads to consult divisional commissioners or district administrators to send names to the education board for nomination as president.
Eligible candidates included government officers not below the 9th grade, retired government officers not below the 5th grade, professors and associate professors from public universities or government colleges, founders of the respective private educational institutions, or serving officers not below the 9th grade or retired officers not below the 5th grade holding a four-year bachelor’s degree in any technical discipline, including MBBS, engineering, or agriculture.
This effectively blocked public representatives or MPs from assuming the role of president in private educational institutions.
In February this year, BNP formed the government after winning the 13th parliamentary election.
Subsequently, several newly elected MPs demanded that the regulations be amended once again to relax the qualification criteria for the post of president, seeking to restore the opportunity for public representatives to head managing boards of private educational institutions as before.
The issue generated criticism among teachers.