The advisory council has given final approval to the proposed ordinance to establish Dhaka Central University, unifying seven government colleges in the capital.
The approval came at a meeting of the advisory council held at the chief adviser’s office on Thursday.
AKM Elias, interim administrator of Dhaka Central University, told The TIMES of Bangladesh that the gazette notification would be issued once the president signs the ordinance.
He said “Students are happy with the decision and teachers no longer have objections, as their demands have been addressed.”
He described the move as a balanced solution to a long-standing problem and a positive development for the country’s education sector.
Elias noted, admission activities for the new academic year would begin immediately, with plans to start classes within a month. He added that delays affecting students from the previous academic year due to ordinance-related complications would be recovered within a maximum of four months.
Earlier, on 14 and 15 July, students blocked roads at different points in the capital demanding the issuance of the ordinance, causing severe public disruption. In that context, TIMES published an investigative report on 16 July, stating that the ordinance would be issued within seven working days.
At the time, sources in the public administration ministry, education ministry and the proposed university said that once the draft ordinance received approval at the cabinet division meeting, the legislative division would give its observations before the file was sent to the president.
Following Thursday’s approval, the education ministry said the ordinance provides a full administrative framework for the new university, including the chancellor, vice-chancellor, senate, syndicate and academic council.
The president will serve as chancellor and appoint the vice-chancellor from a panel nominated by the senate. The University Grants Commission will have authority to inspect, evaluate and issue directives on education, examinations, research and administrative activities.
The ordinance includes provisions for residential halls, student union elections and co-curricular activities. It also provides for the construction of a permanent, self-contained campus and arrangements to run academic activities temporarily until the university’s own campus is built. It ensures equal admission and degree opportunities for all eligible students, local and foreign, without discrimination based on race, religion, gender or special needs.
Dhaka Central University will have separate schools for arts, science, social sciences, business studies, law and fine arts, among others. Each school will be headed by the head of school.
Undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, examinations and assessments at affiliated colleges will follow a unified academic calendar and evaluation framework set by the university.
Students will be admitted to the main campus or affiliated colleges based on SSC and HSC results and a central admission test. The university will also run central MPhil and PhD programmes and offer opportunities for teacher development and advanced training.
Under the ordinance, Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Begum Badrunnessa Government Girls’ College, Govt Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Dhaka, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Bangla College and Government Titumir College will operate as affiliated colleges.
Their individual identities, infrastructure and rights over movable and immovable properties will remain intact.
Disagreements had earlier emerged over whether the proposed university would follow a school model or a hybrid model, with teachers and students taking opposing positions.
After the draft ordinance was made public, the dispute spilled onto the streets. The draft was later revised to accommodate the concerns of both sides.
In the 2024–25 academic year, 9,388 students were admitted to the first batch of the proposed Dhaka Central University. However, delays in issuing the ordinance prevented classes from starting on time. Although academic activities began earlier this year, students remain somewhat behind compared to other universities.
