"Rules and regulations must be followed from student admission to recruitment of teachers, from preparing question papers to evaluating answer scripts, and from curricula introduction to fixing tuition fees. UGC will’ve to take stern steps for ensuring the standard of education alongside the specific work plan upon consultation with trustee board members, parents and experts, if needed," he said.

The President was delivering speech at the first convocation of Fareast International University (FIU) at the city’s Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.

Hamid said the UGC, the Education Ministry and all concerned will have to come forward to make sure that every university runs their activities without any interference, and no student gets cheated in the name of higher education.

"We want the expansion of education, but we don’t want certificate-based higher education. So, every university must ensure the congenial environment of education," he said.

Praising the role of private entrepreneurs in expanding higher education in Bangladesh, Hamid, also the Chancellor of the university, said though a few universities are playing a laudable role in the expansion of education but all universities and entrepreneurs are not running their institutions following the rules and regulations properly.

Terming the private investment in education sector as a praiseworthy initiative, he said universities will be the centres of acquiring knowledge and its expansion, where students will get the opportunity of practicing sports and cultural activities alongside acquiring knowledge on contemporary issues.

"But many universities are running their activities in limited [small] commercial buildings which is a big obstacle to free practice of knowledge,” he added.

President Hamid said the entrepreneurs who have the intention to run a university will have to follow the rules and regulations as education is not a commercial product.   

"There’re many sectors to invest for the profit-mongering entrepreneurs. You should invest there as you’ll get huge return there and will be able to contribute to socio-economic development of the country,” he also added.

The President asked the students to raise awareness against social degradation to save the future generation.      
 
UGC Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah and Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasain Chowdhury were present as special guests while Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain as the convocation speaker.

Secretaries concerned to the President were also present.