The students of private universities pay roughly around Tk700,000 as tuition and other fees for a four-year degree and diploma.
The fees for students of private medical schools would be almost twice the amount – hovering around Tk14 lakh.
The figures emerged from interviews by Dhaka Tribune among the students who staged demonstration during last couple of days protesting VAT suggests the figures. The government yesterday announced withdrawal of the VAT on the private universities and, medical and engineering colleges.
The VAT would then stand at around Tk52,000 had the tax not withdrawn. The amount is roughly equals to an average fee for one trimester.
According to the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh, there are 83 private universities in the country approved by UGC. Of them, 75 are running their academic activities. The number of students enrolled in the private universities was around 330,000 as of 2014.
“In a four-year graduate programme, I’ll have to pay more than Tk600,000. With the semester course and other activities, now I have to pay Tk45,000 per semester,” said Imrana Tasnim, a second semester student of genetic engineering and bio technology of East West University.
Mahdeeb in his last semester of BBA at North South University pays semester fees of Tk58,000 for four courses, including student activities. When he was enrolled, the fee was Tk13,500 per course and it is now Tk16,500. So the new students pay Tk66,000 per semester for four courses.
Tasnim Batool in her third semester in Computer Science and Engineering at Brac University said: “The fees per course in Brac University stands at Tk16,500. I need to pay Tk85,000, including student activity fees.”
