The University Grants Commission (UGC) has seen a decline in its organisational capacity due to the acting chairman’s personal decision to take on “additional responsibilities” beyond the regulatory body’s rules.

The commission has been unable to effectively address irregularities within the country’s universities in recent times, attributing this to leadership controversy, insiders say.

Prof Kazi Shahidullah of Dhaka University’s History department went on vacation to Australia on 20 August 2023 for a medical checkup just three months after being appointed as the UGC chairman for the second term in May last year.

While commission members are expected to perform duties according to seniority when the chairman is on leave, UGC member Prof Muhammed Alamgir was given the additional responsibility of chairman in August last year, violating the guidelines.

UGC informed the media through a press release as there is no government order regarding the appointment.

Prof Alamgir is struggling to manage the commission in a structural manner since taken responsibilities beyond guideline for the last six months, sources said.

Meanwhile, the commission has taken minimal action against the increasing irregularities in the country’s universities, even as students become involved in criminal activities.

“Chairman sir [Prof Kazi Shahidullah] is seriously ill now. In the absence of him, a senior UGC member has been carrying out the duties,” UGC Secretary Ferdous Zaman told the Daily Sun.

He added, “There is no difficulty in the routine duties. The current incumbent (Prof Alamgir), who was the vice chancellor of a university for two terms, managed the UGC activities well”.

However, the UGC secretary didn’t agree to comment on the question whether there is a presidential order in favour of the post of Prof Alamgir to perform the additional duties of UGC chairman for a long time.

Meanwhile, Prof Alamgir has formed his own circle within the regulatory body during his “routine duty” in the absence of the regular chairman.

He has made decisions beyond organisational guidelines in his additional responsibilities over the last six months.

Besides, Prof Alamgir appointed a project director for the ADB-funded Improving Computer and Software Engineering Tertiary Education Project (ICSETEP), excluding respective commission members from the recruitment panel.