# University Grants Commission of Bangladesh

University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় মঞ্জুরী কমিশন, romanized: 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. It regulates public and private universities, promoting academic excellence and supporting research initiatives across the country.

## History

In 2010, the Government of Bangladesh announced reform in the UGC, deciding to change UGC into Higher Education Commission of Bangladesh (HEC), which would supposedly develop, expand and enhance the quality of tertiary education in the country..

## 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 are eligible to 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
* 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

There are 57 Public Universities, 116 Private Universities, 3 International Universities, and 2 special universities registered under UGC, Bangladesh.

### 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 |
| Gazipur Agricultural University | GAU | 1998 | Gazipur | Dhaka Division | Agricultural Science | Yes | link |
| Bangladesh 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 |
| Gopalganj Science and Technology University | GSTU | 2011 | Gopalganj | Dhaka Division | STEM | Yes | link |
| Bangladesh Maritime University | BMU | 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 |
| Jamalpur Science and Technology University | JSTU | 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 |
| Netrokona University | NkU | 2018 | Netrokona | Mymensingh Division | General | Yes | link |
| Gazipur Digital University | BDU | 2018 | Kaliakoir | Dhaka Division | ICT in education | No | link |
| Khulna Agricultural University | KAU | 2019 | Khulna | Khulna Division | Agricultural science | Yes | link |
| Aviation and Aerospace University, Bangladesh | BAAU | 2019 | Lalmonirhat | Rangpur Division | Aeronautical Science | Yes | link |
| Kishoreganj University | KgU | 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 |
| Khulna Medical University | KMU | 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 | | |
| Meherpur University | MU | 2022 | Meherpur | Khulna Division | General | | |
| Naogaon University | NgU | 2022 | Naogaon | Rajshahi Division | General | | |
| Thakurgaon University | TU | 2022 | Thakurgaon | Rangpur Division | General | | |
| Pirojpur Science and Technology University | PpSTU | 2022 | Pirojpur | Barishal Division | STEM | | |