UGC to make framework for allocating land to public universities

The University Grants Commission (UGC) will soon develop a framework for determining the amount of land required for setting up campuses of new public universities in the country. The allocation of land will be provided considering types of universities, number of students, campus design and other factors. The decision to formulate the framework was taken at a meeting of the committee chaired by UGC member and convener of the committee Prof. Dr. Muhammad Alamgir held at UGC Bhaban today, said a press release. At the meeting, the members of the committee emphasized on formulating an academic master plan for the country’s higher educational institutions and taking into consideration the views of the UGC in setting up new public universities. During the meeting, Professor Alamgir said, “Land acquisition is very important for the university as Bangladesh is a densely populated country. Besides, the government has decided to set up one university in each district of the country. For these reasons, the amount of land for universities needs to be determined at a rational level.”

“At present there are 52 public universities in the country. This number will gradually increase… if the amount of land is fixed for setting up the campus of the university, the cultivable land and water body can be protected and the university should not be in any adverse situation regarding land acquisition,” he added. Members of the Commission Prof. Dr. Dil Afroza Begum, Prof. Dr. Biswajit Chand, Prof. Dr. Md. Abu Taher, Pro VC of BUET Prof. Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khan, Prof. Dr. Khandaker Sabbir Ahmed of Department of Architecture, BUET, Prof. Dr. Nurul Islam Nazem of Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Dhaka, Prof. Dr. AKM Abul Kalam and Prof. Dr. Md. Akhtar Mahmud of Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Jahangirnagar University, Architect Iqbal Habib, UGC Secretary Dr. Ferdous Zaman, Additional Director of Planning and Development Dr. Durga Rani Sarkar, and Deputy Director Shivananda Sheel, were present, among others.