The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Thursday rejected reports that it had allocated no funds for research at public universities in FY2026-27, saying Tk226 crore has been earmarked for research this fiscal year and that only the funding mechanism—not the allocation itself—has changed.
The commission said the allocation is around 13% higher than last year's and that research funds will now be disbursed centrally through the UGC under a government decision aimed at avoiding duplication in research financing.
In a clarification, the UGC said the new system would simplify the disbursement process, improve transparency and make funding more researcher-friendly, while leaving universities' academic freedom, institutional identity, research priorities and subject diversity unaffected.
The commission said it wrote to all public universities on July 2, asking them to submit research plans, sub-sector funding requirements and budget estimates. It said funds would be released promptly after reviewing the proposals.
The UGC also asked universities to prioritize greater participation of undergraduate, master's and PhD students in research, strengthen collaboration between senior and emerging researchers, and align research with national priorities.
The clarification came three days after Dhaka University's Senate approved a Tk1,033.21 crore budget for FY2026-27 with an Tk83.85 crore funding gap.
The university had sought Tk21.03 crore for research, but the amount was not included in the allocation approved by the UGC. The omission prompted Treasurer M Jahangir Alam to question whether the university had been consulted before the decision.
At Monday's Senate meeting, Joint Secretary Sharmina Nasrin said the change followed a joint decision by the Finance Ministry, the Education Ministry and public universities to route research funds through the UGC instead of allocating them directly to universities.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Thursday, DU Pro Vice Chancellor (academic) Prof Abdus Salam said the Tk21.03 crore had been included in the university's original budget proposal but was excluded from the UGC-approved allocation.
He welcomed the commission's assurance that the funds would be released upon requisition, although he noted that the university had already submitted its request.
Salam also said DU's research allocation has traditionally covered not only research projects but also the operational expenses of its 53 to 56 research centers, including the Bose Centre and the Semiconductor Research Centre.
He said the UGC's latest guidance does not explicitly mention funding for those centers, although he expects the issue will be addressed during the allocation process.