University Grants Commission of Bangladesh explained

University Grants Commission of Bangladesh
Native Name A:	বাংলাদেশ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় মঞ্জুরী কমিশন
Native Name R:	UGC
Type:	Commission
Preceding6:	-->
Jurisdiction:	Government of Bangladesh
Headquarters:	UGC Bhaban, Plot# E-18/A, Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Employees:	350
Budget:	(2024-2025)
Chief1 Name:	Syed Muhammed Abul Faiz
Chief1 Position:	Chairman
Parent Department:	Ministry of Education
Child25 Agency:	-->
Keydocument6:	-->
Footnotes:	^[1]

University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (bn|বাংলাদেশ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় মঞ্জুরী কমিশন|Bañglādeś Biśbobidyālaẏ mañjurī komiśan; abbreviated as UCG), is the apex body responsible for overseeing higher education in Bangladesh, ensuring quality standards, and advising on university development. It was established on 16 December 1972, according to the Presidential Order (P.O. No 10 of 1973) of the Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh.^[2] It regulates public and private universities, promoting academic excellence and supporting research initiatives across the country.

History

In 2010, the Government of Bangladesh announced bringing out reforms in University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) and decided to change UGC into Higher Education Commission of Bangladesh (HEC).^{[3] [4]}

Purpose

The UGC is the apex body of all the affiliated public, private and international universities of Bangladesh.

It provides funds for "Government Funded Universities" of Bangladesh. Its mission is to ensure the quality of higher education throughout the country. Private universities must obtain permission from UGC before they operate.UGC was designed to maintain the autonomous nature of the universities. The underlying principle is that the Government should not deal directly with the universities, either individually or collectively; instead, it should deal with the UGC, which, in turn, deals directly with the universities.UGC offers scholarships to outstanding students, funds research, and organizes seminars.

Administrative structure

BUGC consists of the following members:

• Chairman: Syed Muhammed Abul Faiz^{[5] [6]}
• Full-time members: 5
• Part-time members: 6
• Vice-Chancellors: 2 (by rotation)
• Professors of Universities: 3 (from the universities Vice-Chancellors of which are not members)
• Government nominees: 3 (Secretary, Minister of education, a member of the Planning Commission)
• Representative of the Ministry of Finance: 1 (not below the rank of a secretary)

Former Chairmen of the Commission
Name	Term Length	Years of Service
Dr. Muzaffar Ahmed Chowdhury	13 April 1973 – 25 January 1975	1 year, 9 months
Dr. ABM Habibullah	12 February 1975 – 5 July 1977	2 years, 5 months
Dr. M A Naser	6 July 1977 – 17 February 1981	3 years, 7 months
Dr. M A Bari	18 February 1981 – 17 February 1989	8 years
Syed Ali Ahsan	2 March 1989 – 18 December 1990	1 year, 9 months
Dr. M Shamsul Huq	19 March 1991 – 18 March 1995	4 years
Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed	8 April 1995 – 7 April 1999	4 years
Dr. A T M Zahurul Huq	8 April 1999 – 7 April 2003	4 years
Dr. Mohammad Asaduzzaman	16 April 2003 – 15 April 2007	4 years
Nazrul Islam	7 May 2007 – 6 May 2011	4 years
Dr. A K Azad Chowdhury	8 May 2011 – 7 May 2015	4 years
Abdul Mannan	7 May 2015 – 7 May 2019	4 years
Kazi Shahidullah	22 May 2019 – 11 August 2024	5 years, 3 months
Syed Muhammed Abul Faiz	5 September 2024 – present	Ongoing

Divisions

• Administrative Division
• Planning and Development Division
• Information Management, Communication and Training Division
• Finance and Accounts Division
• Private Universities Division
• Public Universities Division
• Research and Publication Division
• Strategic Planning, Quality Assurance and Right to Information Division
• Institute of Scientific Instrumentation (ISI) is a subsidiary organ of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh.

Registered Universities

See main article: List of universities in Bangladesh.

There are 55 Public Universities, 113 Private Universities, 2 International Universities, and 2 special universities registered under UGC, Bangladesh.^[7]

Public Universities at a glance

University	Acronym	Established	Location	Division	Specialization	Ph.D. granting	Website
University of Dhaka	DU	1921	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
University of Rajshahi	RU	1953	Rajshahi	Rajshahi Division	General	Yes	link
Bangladesh Agricultural University	BAU	1961	Mymensingh	Mymensingh Division	Agricultural Science	Yes	link
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology	BUET	1962	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	Engineering	Yes	link
University of Chittagong	CU	1966	Chittagong	Chittagong Division	General	Yes	link
Jahangirnagar University	JU	1970	Savar, Dhaka	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
Islamic University, Bangladesh	IU	1979	Kushtia	Khulna Division	General	Yes	link
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology	SUST	1986	Sylhet	Sylhet Division	STEM	Yes	link
Khulna University	KU	1991	Khulna	Khulna Division	General	Yes	link
Bangladesh Open University	BOU	1992	Gazipur	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
National University Bangladesh	NU	1992	Gazipur	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University	BSMRAU	1998	Gazipur	Dhaka Division	Agricultural Science	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University	BSMMU	1998	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	Medical	No	link
Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science & Technology University	HSTU	1999	Dinajpur	Rangpur Division	STEM	Yes	link
Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University	MBSTU	1999	Tangail	Dhaka Division	STEM	Yes	link
Patuakhali Science and Technology University	PSTU	2000	Patuakhali	Barisal Division	STEM	Yes	link
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University	SAU	2001	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	Agricultural Science	Yes	link
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology	KUET	2003	Khulna	Khulna Division	Engineering	Yes	link
Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology	CUET	2003	Chittagong	Chittagong Division	Engineering	Yes	link
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology	RUET	2003	Rajshahi	Rajshahi Division	Engineering	Yes	link
Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology	DUET	2003	Gazipur	Dhaka Division	Engineering	Yes	link
Jagannath University	JnU	2005	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
Comilla University	CoU	2006	Comilla	Chittagong Division	General	Yes	link
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University	JKKNIU	2006	Mymensingh	Mymensingh Division	General	Yes	link
Noakhali Science and Technology University	NSTU	2006	Noakhali	Chittagong Division	STEM	Yes	link
Sylhet Agricultural University	SylAU	2006	Sylhet	Sylhet Division	Agricultural Science	Yes	link
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University	CVASU	2006	Chittagong	Chittagong Division	Veterinary Science	Yes	link
Jashore University of Science and Technology	JUST	2007	Jessore	Khulna Division	STEM	Yes	link
Bangladesh University of Professionals	BUP	2008	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
Begum Rokeya University	BRU	2008	Rangpur	Rangpur Division	General	Yes	link
Pabna University of Science and Technology	PUST	2008	Pabna	Rajshahi Division	STEM	Yes	link
Bangladesh University of Textiles	BUTEX	2010	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	Textile Engineering	Yes	link
University of Barisal	BU	2011	Barisal	Barisal Division	General	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University	BSMRSTU	2011	Gopalganj	Dhaka Division	STEM	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University	BSMRMU	2013	Chittagong	Chittagong Division	Maritime transport	Yes	link
Islamic Arabic University	IAU	2013	Dhaka	Dhaka Division	Islamic	No	link
Rangamati Science and Technology University	RMSTU	2014	Rangamati	Chittagong Division	STEM	Yes	link
Rabindra University, Bangladesh	RUB	2017	Sirajganj	Rajshahi Division	General	Yes	link
Bangamata Sheikh Fojilatunnesa Mujib Science & Technology University	BSFMSTU	2017	Jamalpur	Mymensingh Division	STEM	Yes	link
Chittagong Medical University	CMU	2017	Chittagong	Chittagong Division	Medical	No	link
Rajshahi Medical University	RMU	2017	Rajshahi	Rajshahi Division	Medical	No	link
Sylhet Medical University	SMU	2018	Sylhet	Sylhet Division	Medical	No	link
Sheikh Hasina University	SHU	2018	Netrokona	Mymensingh Division	General	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Digital University	BDU	2018	Kaliakoir	Dhaka Division	ICT in education	No	link
Khulna Agricultural University	KAU	2019	Khulna	Khulna Division	Agricultural science	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University	BSMRAAU	2019	Lalmonirhat	Rangpur Division	Aeronautical Science	Yes	link
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University	BSMRU	2020	Kishoreganj	Dhaka Division	General	Yes	link
Habiganj Agricultural University	HAU	2020	Habiganj	Sylhet Division	Agricultural science	Yes	link
Chandpur Science and Technology University	CSTU	2020	Chandpur	Chittagong Division	STEM	Yes	link
Sheikh Hasina Medical University	SHMU	2020	Khulna	Khulna Division	Medical	No	link
Sunamganj Science and Technology University	SSTU	2020	Sunamganj	Sylhet Division	STEM	Yes
Bogura Science and Technology University	BSTU	2020	Bogura	Rajshahi Division	STEM	Yes
Lakshmipur Science and Technology University	LSTU	2020	Lakshmipur	Chittagong Division	STEM	Yes
Kurigram Agricultural University	KuAU	2022	Kurigram	Rangpur Division	Agricultural science
Mujibnagar University	MU	2022	Meherpur	Khulna Division	General
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University, Naogaon	BSMRUN	2022	Naogaon	Rajshahi Division	General
Thakurgaon University	TU	2022	Thakurgaon	Rangpur Division	General
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Pirojpur	BSMRSTUP	2022	Pirojpur	Barishal Division	STEM
Satkhira Science and Technology University	SASTU	Proposed	Satkhira	Khulna Division	STEM
Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University	JJBSMRSTU	Proposed	Narayanganj	Dhaka Division	STEM
Dr. M A Wazed Miah Agricultural University	WMAU	Proposed	Natore	Rajshahi Division	Agricultural Science
Sheikh Hasina Agricultural University	SHAU	Proposed	Shariatpur	Dhaka Division	Agricultural Science
Rangpur University of Science and Technology	RUST	Proposed	Thakurgaon	Rangpur Division	STEM
Marine Science University of Barisal	MSUB	Proposed	Barishal	Barishal Division	Maritime studies
Michael Madhusudan Cultural University	MMCU	Proposed	Jashore	Khulna Division	Cultural studies
Mymensingh Medical University	MMU	Proposed	Mymensingh	Mymensingh Division	Medical
Bangladesh University of Juridical Sciences	BUJS	Proposed			Legal education
Bangladesh University of Educational Planning and Administration	BUEdPA	Proposed			Educational management

See also

• Education in Bangladesh
• List of universities in Bangladesh
• List of schools in Bangladesh
• List of colleges in Bangladesh
• List of institutes in Bangladesh
• List of medical colleges in Bangladesh
• List of dental schools in Bangladesh
• Textile schools in Bangladesh
• List of architecture schools in Bangladesh

Notes and References

1. Book: Bala, Swapan Kumar . 2012 . University Grants Commission . http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=University_Grants_Commission . Islam . Sirajul . Sirajul Islam . Jamal . Ahmed A. . Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh . Second . Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
2. News: University Grants Commission . The Daily Star . 29 May 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207145003/https://www.thedailystar.net/university-grants-commission-26132 . 7 December 2023 . en.
3. Web site: Archived copy . 2017-03-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170308222035/http://www.mof.gov.bd/en/budget/15_16/ber/en/Ch-12.pdf . 2017-03-08 . dead .
4. Web site: UGC to be higher edu commission: PM. 7 January 2016. The Daily Star. https://web.archive.org/web/20240417183132/http://www.thedailystar.net/city/pm-glorifies-teachers-role-198211 . 17 April 2024 .
5. Web site: প্রজ্ঞাপনঃ মাধ্যমিক ও উচ্চ শিক্ষা বিভাগ .
6. Web site: 2024-09-05 . Professor Dr SMA Faiz appointed as UGC chairman . 2024-09-05 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240905121038/https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/professor-dr-sma-faiz-appointed-ugc-chairman-934216 . 5 September 2024 . en.
7. Web site: UGC Approved University List .