Parliament on Friday passed the Dhaka Central University Bill 2026, aimed at bringing seven government colleges in the capital under a unified academic structure to enhance the quality of higher education and resolve long-standing administrative gridlocks.
The law will establish a new university to oversee higher education and research at the seven colleges.
With Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal in the chair, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon moved the bill, which was passed by voice vote.
Although an earlier proposal sought to group the colleges into four schools, the final law reverses that plan, allowing the institutions to retain their individual identities while being academically affiliated with Dhaka Central University.
The seven colleges are Dhaka College, Eden Mohila College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Begum Badrunnesa Government Women’s College, Mirpur Government Bangla College, and Government Titumir College.
Students of these colleges had long been awaiting the establishment of a separate university.
Under the new system, admissions will be based on SSC and HSC results as well as a centralized admission test, allowing students to enroll either at the main campus or affiliated colleges.
The colleges will also run MPhil and PhD programs centrally, alongside provisions for teacher development and advanced training.
The colleges were previously affiliated with the National University before being brought under Dhaka University in 2017.
However, alleging academic harassment under Dhaka University, students later demanded the creation of a separate university.
The passage of the law marks a significant step in reforming higher education and fulfilling a long-standing demand of the students.
