In the 1990s, opportunities for higher education in Bangladesh were extremely limited. Only a handful of public universities could accommodate the aspirations of the country’s middle and upper-middle-class students. As a result, many students sought education abroad, in India, Europe, and North America, often at their own expense. This led to both a drain of talent and a significant outflow of financial resources from the country.
To address this, the government passed legislation in 1992 allowing the establishment of private universities, aiming to provide local students with the opportunity to pursue higher education domestically. Over the past three decades, the number of private universities has grown to 117. Yet, despite this proliferation, the majority of these institutions fail to deliver quality education while charging exorbitant tuition fees. Many private universities operate primarily as certificate-issuing centres, with little focus on genuine learning or research.
Institutional and Governance Challenges
Private universities in Bangladesh are primarily governed by trustee boards, which control major decisions, including faculty recruitment, syllabus design, and budget allocations. Unfortunately, disputes within many trustee boards have disrupted academic environments, hindered research, and subjected students to unnecessary difficulties. In some cases, board members have been implicated in financial misconduct, undermining the universities’ operations.
Beyond governance issues, most private universities lack essential educational infrastructure. Adequate libraries, laboratories, residential halls, and sports facilities are often missing. Many universities operate from rented buildings with only a few lecturers handling entire departments. Even institutions with proper campuses often fail to provide comprehensive student facilities, compromising both academic and personal development. Curricula may be outdated or inadequately implemented due to faculty shortages and lack of resources.
The Tuition Fee Burden
Excessive tuition fees are a critical concern. While fees in private universities are legally regulated under the Private University Act 2010, most institutions disregard these guidelines. Fees are set arbitrarily, often far exceeding actual operational costs. Students from low- and middle-income families frequently bear enormous financial pressure, sometimes requiring part-time work or family loans to continue their studies.
Consider the following illustrative comparison:
| Course / Department | Private University (Bangladesh) | Medium-Ranked Indian University | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy (per semester) | BDT 56,000 | INR 20,000 (~BDT 30,000) | Quality in India often higher |
| Economics (per semester) | BDT 70,000 | INR 15,000 (~BDT 22,500) | Fee increase over 4 years in Bangladesh |
| Annual Living & Food Costs | BDT 128,000 | BDT 60,000 | Includes housing, food, miscellaneous |
Even modestly performing private universities now primarily focus on profitability rather than education quality. Many students’ families sell assets to finance tuition, while universities generate profits from students’ fees rather than investments in academic excellence.
The 2010 Private University Act specifies six sources of revenue: donations, loans, grants, student fees, self-generated income, and other authorised sources. In practice, most private universities rely almost exclusively on student fees. Without improving education standards, alternative revenue streams remain largely inaccessible, leaving students as the main financial support for these institutions.
The scenario paints a troubling picture: rapid expansion of private universities has not translated into quality education. Governance conflicts, inadequate infrastructure, outdated curricula, and runaway tuition fees continue to disadvantage students, contributing to skill deficits and unemployment among graduates. Without immediate reforms, Bangladesh risks a higher-education sector dominated by profit, rather than learning.