Bangladesh’s education sector has long been in a state of utter disrepair. While the brunt of this conversation almost always concerns our schools, it is high time that discourse started including the absolutely abhorrent state of research in our higher educational institutes. The recent announcement of Jagannath University’s budget allocation of a mere Tk1 crore for research -- less than 3% of its overall Tk201 budget -- is yet another reminder of just how little focus research is given in our universities.
A university is only as good as the research it conducts, which is why hamstringing these institutions in carrying out their operations not only does a disservice to its teachers and students it completely upends the very purpose of higher education altogether.
Budgets for research in our universities are seemingly shrinking year after year. An overwhelming percentage of the JnU’s budget this year is going towards paying salaries, and, while teachers and staff absolutely deserve to be paid for their hard work, what exactly is the point of paying them if they are completely deprived of any funds to carry out their research to begin with?
Lack of modern facilities, inadequate funding, and an absolute dearth of researchers have been a sore spot for our higher education for too long, and measly budgetary allocations are tantamount to rubbing salt to an already festering wound.
Is there any surprise, then, that far too many academics and promising students end up leaving the country?
Bangladesh has ambitious economic goals in both the short and long terms, and with the breakneck speed with which global industries are advancing, our universities’ lack of quality research threatens to completely leave us behind in the race.
Our universities need to take research more seriously.
