The academic environment in colleges affiliated with the National University is in severe decline, with a lack of responsible teachers and widespread dysfunction, said Vice-Chancellor ASM Amanullah.
He revealed a deeply fractured system, noting that “in every group of 10 teachers, there are at least three factions.”
Speaking at a dialogue titled ‘365 Days of the Interim Government’, organised by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) on Sunday, August 10, the VC shared disturbing observations from his recent visits to colleges.
He recounted visiting a college in Dhaka where students were openly using artificial intelligence on their mobile phones during exams while the principal sat nearby, quietly drinking tea, taking no action.
“There is a severe shortage of teachers who are willing to take responsibility,” Amanullah said. “In fact, we struggle to find even four competent teachers across 400 upazilas. Every time I try to hold someone accountable, the structure collapses. In every college, teachers are divided—there are three separate groups among every ten. It’s not about education anymore; it’s about survival and self-interest.”
He also highlighted the alarming disconnect between the National University’s curriculum and industry needs.
“There is almost no link between education and employment,” he said. “Yet no one talks about it. Why? Because large companies in Bangladesh benefit from this system. National University graduates are often unskilled and lack ambition – making them easier to hire, control, and retain for long periods.”
On the state of examinations, Amanullah raised serious concerns about academic integrity.
“In some colleges, a physics teacher is inputting marks for philosophy courses. In honours and master’s programmes where there are no laboratories, students are awarded full marks, 100, in chemistry, physics, and biology. Even in colleges that do have labs, no practical class is conducted.”
He added: “Students are passing in science subjects without ever performing a single experiment. How do we expect them to succeed? How do we move forward as a nation?”
The CPD event was attended by several prominent figures, including Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and CPB General Secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince. The keynote address was delivered by CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun.