The adviser has no plans to grant university status to Titumir College
For several days, Titumir College students have been staging demonstrations by blocking roads, demanding their college be upgraded to a university, leading to traffic congestion and public inconvenience.
Education Adviser Dr. Wahiduddin Mahmud has clarified that there are no plans to grant Titumir College independent university status. He stated that an expert committee, led by the UGC chairman, is working to establish a separate university for the seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University, including Titumir College.
“The seven colleges do not want to remain under Dhaka University, and DU also does not want to retain them… this is a logical decision,” he said on Sunday, responding to a question after the weekly Ecnec meeting at the NEC conference room.
While acknowledging students’ right to demand a university and stage protests, he emphasized the importance of focusing on studies. “Students will eventually have to sit for exams. If they don’t prioritize their education at this stage, it will affect their future,” he warned.
He also noted that many general students of Titumir College have expressed their desire to continue with classes and exams without disruption. “Academic activities should not be hindered,” he said, urging protesting students to adopt methods that do not cause public inconvenience.
Rejecting the idea of making decisions under protest deadlines, he reaffirmed that the interim government lacks the authority to fulfill such demands. “Our role is to ensure a smooth transition to a well-governed democratic system and implement minor reforms,” he explained.
Regarding a press release suggesting that the government is giving special consideration to Titumir College, he clarified that he did not author that statement. “Perhaps the secretary made edits for diplomatic reasons—I am not sure,” he remarked.
Dr. Mahmud also expressed concern over the excessive number of public universities in the country, noting that 55 exist, with half established in the last seven years.
Students of Government Titumir College have been protesting on the roads for several days, demanding that their institution be upgraded to a university.
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