Admission in six subjects from current session, Named Shahid Ziaur Rahman University
Our Correspondent, Barisal
The implementation of the project for a general public university in Barisal division had been approved in the recent meeting of the Executive Committee of Economic Council (ECNEC). According to the related sources, a project with a budget of Tk. 65 crore for the ‘Shahid Ziaur Rahman University, Barisal’ was approved in ECNEC on Monday last.
It will start functioning in 16 rented rooms in preliminary stages and appointment of vice chancellor, registrar, treasurer, officials, staffs and teachers, selection of subjects would be finalized within next two weeks to admit students and start classes for current session from January 2009, the sources confirmed.
Admission of the students in six subjects would be started from current session in a rented premise after long 30 years efforts for the institution. Informed sources said that the education adviser on June 18 approved the site selection report .
The site for the university was finally selected at Goriar Par, on the Barisal city outskirts by the side of the Barisal-Dhaka highway.
The steps have been taken to acquire 40 acres of land for the university. Mentionable the decision to establish a fully fledged public university was first approved by Ziaur Rahman in the first cabinet meeting outside the capital held on November 23, 1979 at the Barisal Circuit House. Then in the election gathering at Barisal Bell’s Park in 2001 BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia announced to establish a fully fledged public university in Barisal if the 4-party was voted to power. Accordingly, to fulfill the election pledge, the alliance government on January 9, 2005 announced to upgrade BM College to a full-fledged university like Jagannath College in Dhaka. In the face of popular demand, the government later changed the decision and undertook the Barisal Public University Project in May 2006. A 50 acres plot of land at Defulia on the outskirts of the city was also selected for the project, approved by the engineering department of the education ministry and the University Grants Commission on May 7, 2006.
The then prime minister Khaleda Zia laid the foundation stone of the project on September 17, 2006 at Defulia under Barisal sadar and at the border of Barisal-Jhalakati-Pirojpur districts and ordered appointment of a project director for construction of three buildings with a primary allocation of Tk 7 crore for the project. Following the changeover of January 11, 2007, the UGC, blaming high price of land, cancelled acquisition of the plot at Defulia and allocation of fund in January, 2008 pushing the project into uncertainty.
Then Chief Adviser in the meeting of the advisory council at BarisalCircuit House on March 6, 2008 said that works for implementing Barisal Public University Project would be started very soon.A five-member team, led by AZM Shafiqul Alam, joint secretary of the Planning Ministry, visited different places on March 30 and 31 for selecting sites for the general public university and an engineering college in Barisal following the decision of the advisory council. The committee, after visiting different sites at Madhvapasa, Goriarpar, Defulia and Charkawa, on the Barisal city outskirts, exchanged views with city elites and different professional groups at Barisal Circuit House on March 31.
Most of the participants at the exchange of views spoke for constructing the university at Defulia and the proposed engineering college at Boserhut of Kashipur considering better communication, socio-economic advantages and availability of lands at reasonable price.
AZN Shafikul Alam, joint secretary, Md. Zahirul Huq, head of the planning cell, M A Hannan, chief engineer of the education engineering directorate of education ministry were in the visiting team.
They denying giving any details only said that education adviser approved the site selection report on June 18, 2008.
The Barisal Division Development Council, however, has already submitted their protest memorandum against establishing a public university by the side of a busy highway and demanded it to be established at Defulia, which was selected earlier considering the healthy educational environment, safety and security.
Courtesy: thebangladeshtoday.com
