Barishal Engineering College to run under BU

BARISHAL, Oct 16: The government has taken initial steps to bring Barishal Engineering College under the administration of Barishal University (BU), with the Education Ministry seeking a review of the legal framework for the proposed conversion.

The plan also covers three other engineering colleges in Faridpur, Mymensingh and Sylhet, which are expected to become institutes under nearby universities.

The technical branch of the Technical and Madrasah Education Division issued a letter to University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Dr Mamun Ahmed on October 5, asking the commission to examine the legal basis for the proposed changes and submit recommendations and a detailed proposal. The Barishal College would be named the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), according to the proposal.

The initiative is still at an initial stage. The letter does not specify which universities would oversee the four colleges or set a timeline for the changes. The status of current students and possible changes to degree programmes, curricula, examinations, teacher recruitment and administration also remain undecided.

SM Khalid Saifullah, who led a student movement over problems at the college, said bringing it under a single administration would resolve the current division of authority between the Directorate of Technical Education and the university.

Recruiting teachers under UGC rules could help address the long-standing teacher shortage and prevent arbitrary transfers during semesters, bringing greater academic stability, he said.

Saifullah said the college’s existing infrastructure and equipment could support a naval architecture department. Recruiting skilled laboratory staff could also improve education and research, while university affiliation would help resolve students’ concerns about their institutional identity, he added.

Md Liton Rabbani, an associate professor and the college’s acting principal, said the ministry had held several meetings before sending the letter to the UGC. The commission has not contacted the college yet, he said.

Prof Dr Md Mamun Ur Rashid, Vice-Chancellor of Barishal University, said the proposal was part of the ministry’s initiative. “We will take the next steps as directed by the ministry and the UGC,” he said.