The government has decided to establish “Dhaka Central University (DCU)” to take over the administration of the seven government colleges previously affiliated with Dhaka University (DU).
The decision was finalized on Sunday at the University Grants Commission (UGC) after a meeting between UGC Chairman Professor SMA Faiz and student representatives from the colleges, according to sources from the UGC.
Wishing anonymity, officials at the UGC told Dhaka Tribune that the long-anticipated new university for Dhaka’s seven government colleges will be named Dhaka Central University (DCU).
A student from Dhaka College’s English Department, who attended the meeting, also confirmed that the seven government colleges are set to function under a newly formed institution named Dhaka Central University (DCU).
Another student said: “A total of 40 names were proposed, eventually narrowing down to just two. In the end, the authorities settled on Dhaka Central University—a decision that, despite the long process, feels almost inevitable.”
The colleges—Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnessa Government Girls College, Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College—serve nearly 200,000 students with over 1,000 faculty members.
Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Azad Majumder told reporters that an administrator will be appointed to run the new university during the interim period.
One of the principals from the seven colleges will be selected for the role, he added.
“The UGC has already interviewed the seven principals. The college of the appointed administrator will serve as the interim administrative headquarters. A coordination desk will be set up among the seven colleges, with the respective principals overseeing coordination,” he said.
Previously affiliated with the National University, these institutions were brought under Dhaka University’s jurisdiction in 2017, a move that triggered years of student protests over delayed exams, sluggish result publication, and administrative inefficiencies.
The unrest reached a tipping point, forcing DU authorities to announce in January that the colleges would once again be separated.
