When it comes to university education, two things frequently come to my mind. First, the financial aspect. In terms of educational funding, Bangladesh is unfortunately competing at the bottom. Countries like Vietnam allocate 4-6 percent of their GDP to education, whereas Bangladesh allocates less than 2 percent of its GDP annually to education. Meanwhile, 95 percent of the country's public universities are funded by the government, so it's easy to predict the challenges these institutions will face. Jahangirnagar University, for example, is operating with a budget deficit of BDT 800 million, and the allocated funds come from the taxes of the general public. Additionally, many talented students from poor backgrounds, who can't afford private universities, rely on public universities. These students have been paying only BDT 12 a month in tuition fees for the past 85 years, which is a positive aspect. Second, public universities have no internal revenue. Financial stability is just as important as other factors when it comes to improving the quality of education at universities. I hope policymakers, including the education advisors, will think about whether it’s possible to increase funding for education and health. These two sectors are crucial for improving education standards. While we often look to Western nations as examples in these areas, when it comes to implementation, we end up doing the opposite. Since we're now in a different political situation, I am hopeful that the circumstances will change and the changes will be effective.
To bring success to universities, we must first address the decline in moral values. It's not useful to blame the students for this situation. Whether we talk about the struggles of 1971, 1990, or 2024, students have repeatedly shown that they can bring about change with their blood. However, the guardians have failed to bring about the results of that change. Time and again, change has had to come through the collective effort of the people. We believe that this time, significant change will take place.
I bring up the issue of moral values because I have read through Bangladesh's history to see if any vice-chancellor has ever fled, and I found that this is the first time, an unprecedented event. So, why did this happen? To bring about changes in the university education system and set global standards for education, the process of appointing vice-chancellors must first be fixed. There is a clear lack of coordination between the ministry, the University Grants Commission (UGC), and the university administration. This coordination gap needs to be eliminated. The change brought by the 2024 student uprising, with the bloodshed of two thousand students, should reflect, even if slightly, this time.
However, our nation has constantly been accused of creating divisions in the name of diversity, and we have yet to break free from that practice. The promise of change after the uprising—particularly in education, health, and other essential sectors—needs to be made sustainable. But before achieving that, we start practicing the traditional methods and habits to secure our positions. Beyond that, have we truly progressed this time? I am deeply concerned. Will this discussion really lead to any genuine change?
I want to bring about a change in the university. I have made sure that every student at Jahangirnagar University can sit in their own seat. Was this possible because of my strength? No. It was made possible by a certain environment. And how was this environment created? It happened due to the absence of those who had long been holding power in the university halls. I believe this kind of discussion will not be successful without bringing in those who support the government or those who will join the government. What is needed is the creation of a meaningful dialogue and making it effective.
How will change come to universities? We need to talk about two stages of the vice-chancellorship. My tenure as vice-chancellor is just over three months old. Before this, I was in the streets, the media, and classrooms. From there, I found myself in this position. What I see now is new, lacking experience, and not that wise. In the midst of all this, everything is disorganized.
Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Chattogram University, and Rajshahi University—these four universities are autonomous institutions, operating under the ordinance of 1973. Although former President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman pledged not to ruin two of them, he said, "I have granted autonomy to all four, but I don’t want to ruin any of them." What does this mean? Has autonomy led to the ruin of these four universities? This is something to ponder. In over fifty years, has anyone ever thought about the significance of this statement? This is something we must think about.
How is the Vice-Chancellor appointed, and how does a university function? The question is, the process by which Vice-Chancellors were appointed earlier is intertwined with the appointment of faculty members.
In the last syndicate election, there were no candidates from opposing ideological professional organizations in universities in Dhaka and other places, aiming to maintain the party-affiliated Vice-Chancellor. Does this mean all the talented individuals believe in the same ideology, or were appointments made based on party affiliations? Party-affiliated Vice-Chancellors will be accountable to their children. This is because, during their tenure, they appointed teachers based on party affiliation, which is a corrupt practice. Those unqualified teachers, who were appointed for money or party considerations, are now teaching their children. If we truly want to bring change in education, this system needs to be reformed. The responsibility lies more with those who have been in power for the past 50 years and made the policy decisions. Those who failed to coordinate with the Ministry of Education, UGC, and university administration should acknowledge their responsibility. Otherwise, these discussions will continue and remain media headlines, without leading to any substantial change. We need to move beyond this. How many more times will we fight? How many more times will we struggle?
Those who are involved in politics, who seek change in this country, and who aim to come to power—must listen to these words and reflect on them. The student community has created another opportunity through an extraordinary revolution. Those who are in politics and wish to come to power, will they commit to repaying the debt of blood? This is the debt that has repeatedly betrayed the student community over the past fifty years.
In 1971, those who were martyred—through the establishment of Baksal—did we not betray their blood? Successive governments have created graduates who have led to over 2.6 million unemployed people. We are having to bring in experts from other countries. Given the number of knowledgeable and talented individuals, politicians, and the commitment of a nation that gained independence through war, can the people of this country, who carry that spirit, not commit to ensuring even this little over the past fifty years?
There are many discussions about what should be included in the curriculum. Since I come from a philosophical background, I would say that studying philosophy will improve one’s moral values. We have seen people like Benazir Ahmed and Matiur Rahman. They were not lacking in talent and knowledge. From the goat incident to many other events, we have witnessed a lot. So, is acquiring just intellectual competence enough to make someone successful? Therefore, we must address the issue of the decline in moral values.
If a vice-chancellor is not enlightened personally, or if a scientist is not enlightened, how long can you guard them? As a result, we need to stop teaching distorted history. The very supply chain we have is questionable. In independent Bangladesh, seven education commissions have been formed, starting from the Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission. The education policy was made in 2010. Is it being implemented? If it had been implemented, would we be fleeing now? We should learn from this and everyone should work towards making a real change.
Even now, given the opportunity, we haven't been able to break free from our old habits. As a vice-chancellor, I often spend sleepless nights. My beloved students at Jahangirnagar University are extraordinarily rebellious. They protest against any injustice, which is a very positive trait. However, it is also true that if we want to make their sacrifice meaningful, we must end the divisions under the guise of diversity. Otherwise, even your own child will suffer.
Parents are committed to making their children doctors or engineers—that's where the promise lies. But it doesn't stop there. Parents also face a degradation of values. After spending so much money to make a child a doctor or engineer, when the father and child together decide to pursue a career in the police or administration, we need to understand why. The weight of the administration has been made so heavy, as seen with figures like Motiur and Benazir. Who will address this issue? Is there anyone in this conversation who will fix this? Those listening—repay the debt to the students, who brought about change through their bloodshed.
Jahangirnagar University has a budget deficit of BDT 800 million. One way to generate internal revenue is through teaching, but university teachers cannot engage in agricultural or fish farming. To cope with this, teachers have started weekend or evening courses. There is a narrative of commercialization of education in this context that needs to be identified. Moreover, there is some income from admission tests and similar avenues. During the previous government's tenure, the UGC directed universities to increase internal revenue. However, 40 percent of these revenues are taken by the UGC. Public universities operating with budget deficits need to be supported by the government to ensure their smooth operation.
Universities need to break free from political influence. In terms of setting standards, this is essentially an external factor. Many policies are being implemented haphazardly. If transparency can be brought to the role of parents, many issues in both public and private universities can be addressed. Specifically, teachers must view their profession as a vocation, not just a job. Teaching should not be treated as merely an employment opportunity. When comparing the latest salary structures of Bangladesh and India, policymakers will easily understand why public university teachers often take classes at private universities. It is difficult to sustain a livelihood without working in two or three places. How can we expect the highest contribution from university teachers or intellectuals while keeping them impoverished? Isn't that a contradiction? I am not saying their salaries should be raised, but rather, attention must be given to ensuring a fair and equitable system. Everyone should personally keep in mind that the responsibilities they hold should be fulfilled properly. If I don't perform my duties correctly, how can others perform the right tasks? If everyone adopts this mindset, how will change occur? I hope the relevant authorities will make the right decisions in these matters.
Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan: Vice-Chancellor, Jahangirnagar University
[Remarks as a panelist at the 1st Bangladesh Higher Education Conclave 2024, organized by Bonik Barta on the topic “Global Standards in Higher Education: What is to be done in Bangladesh.”]