Private University Until the enactment of the Private University Act 1992, all universities in Bangladesh were in the public sector only. The act was amended in 1998. Up to 2001, the government sanctioned 27 private universities to operate. Eighteen of them started functioning up to July 2001. Currently total number of private universities stand at 50. All private universities except six are located in Dhaka. Among the six that are outside Dhaka, three are in Chittagong, one in Comilla, and two in Sylhet.

Establishment of private universities released the pressure of large-scale admission seekers on the limited number of seats available in public universities. The Private University Act 1992 mentions this as a special point and says that the main objectives of private universities are to meet the growing demand for higher education and to create skilled manpower for the economic development of the country.

Sponsors of a private university in Bangladesh get a sanad (government sanction) and the permission to run such university only upon the recommendation of the university grants commission (UGC). UGC also controls and monitors the functioning of private universities. The government can cancel the sanad of a private university if, after an inquiry, a judge of the High Court recommends so. The university, however, can submit an appeal petition to review and revise the decision. Before starting its academic programmes, a private university needs to get the programme approved by the UGC, frame rules relating to creation of faculties/departments and appointment of teachers, develop the syllabi, and have necessary arrangements for running at least two faculties with qualified teachers. The rules, as well as the syllabi, also require to be approved by the UGC.

The President of the country is the chancellor of all private universities. The main executive body of a private university is its syndicate, or a board of governors, a regency council, or a trustee board. Whatever is the name of the executive body, it must have at least nine members. A private university is to have an academic council, also comprising at least nine members, headed by the vice-chancellor. According to the Private University Act, a pro vice-chancellor is to be appointed for assisting the vice-chancellor and for supervision, co-ordination and monitoring of activities of the faculties or schools of studies of a private university. Matters relating to assets of a private university and its finance are to be taken care of by a finance committee of at least five members headed by a treasurer. Also in a private university, there should be a registrar. Other important academic and administrative positions in a private university include deans of faculties, a controller of examinations and chairpersons of departments.

In addition to the above authorities/offices, a private university can set up other bodies only with the consent of the chancellor. The syndicate/board of governors/regency/trustee board is constituted with people who have long experience in education, culture, industry, science, technology and administration. A private university has the power to frame statute, if necessary for academic, administrative and for other affairs, with the approval of the chancellor.

The syllabi and curricula of some private universities of Bangladesh compare well with those of foreign universities of high standard. Most private universities run their academic programme on semester system and have introduced four-year undergraduate courses. A number of private universities have academic link programmes with foreign universities with provision of credit transfer.

Private universities generally give little importance on the study of liberal arts and social sciences. Most common courses offered are on Business Administration, Computer Science and English Language. A couple of them specialise in medical and engineering education.

The first private university that started functioning in Bangladesh is the North South University (NSU). It was established by the North South University Foundation in 1992. In the first academic semester, NSU admitted 137 students in three departments, namely Business Administration, Computer Science and Economics. Later, it added departments of Environmental Studies, English, and Development Studies. Masters programme in Economics was introduced in 1994. MBA programme started in 1997. NSU has two institutions: the Institute of Development, Environment and Strategic Studies (DESS) and the English Institute. In 2001, NSU's enrolment was around 3,000, including a significant number of foreign students who came from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Malaysia and some other countries. 

The first private university established outside the capital was the University of Science and Technology, Chittagong (1993). At present, annual intake in the private universities of the country is nearly 8,000. The annual intake in them is growing at nearly 20%. However, the number of graduates of the private universities till 1999 was only 1% of all graduates from all universities of the country. [Amirul Islam Chowdhury]