SANGSAD BHABAN, Oct 29, 2023 (BSS)- Thakurgaon University Bill, 2023 was passed today in the Jatiya Sangsad in an attempt 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.
 
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni moved the bill which was passed by voice votes in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.
 
Piloting the bill, the 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.
 
With this new university, the number of public universities will reach 51. The country now has 108 private universities as well.
 
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.
 
Earlier, the cabinet approved the draft of 'Thakurgaon University Act, 2022' in principle on February 28, this year.
 
Similar to other public universities, the President will act as the Chancellor and will appoint Vice-Chancellors for a term of four years.
 
The university will have a vice-chancellor and a treasurer, according to the new act.
 
He also said that the draft law set out the rules and regulations for conducting the activities and curriculum of the university.
 
The number of universities, both public and private, is increasing in the country every year, but many of them are unable to provide quality education as per world standard.
 
Participating in the discussion on the bill, Jatiya Party lawmaker 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 lawmaker 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 lawmakers Fakhrul Imam,Begum Rawshan Ara Mannan, Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary and Hafizuddin Ahmed also spoke on the bill.