United News of Bangladesh

The admissions tests for MBBS for the 2024-2025 academic years will be held on Friday. The exam will start at 10:00am, according to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry. The candidates appearing for the MBBS admission test are allowed to bring only admit cards and strictly prohibited from bringing any pens other than black ballpoint pens, watches, calculators, or electronic devices. KUET admission test on Jan 11, results on Jan 26 The gates of the centers will open at 8:00 am and close at 9:30 am, according to the ministry. Candidates and their guardians are requested to leave home early, allowing sufficient time to ensure arrival at the examination halls by 9:30 am.

Dhaka University (DU) administration will launch a temporary financial assistance programme for female students who cannot stay in university halls due to accommodation crisis. Starting next month, each eligible student will receive Tk 3,000 per month under this programme. DU Treasurer Professor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury shared this information during a press conference held at the Professor Abdul Matin Chowdhury Virtual Classroom, near the Vice-Chancellor's office, on Wednesday. Textbook distribution to be completed by Feb: Press Secretary  He said that the university lacks adequate accommodation facilities for female students. Although the university has taken various initiatives to address this issue, the process takes time. In response to student needs, DU will start the financial assistance programme as a temporary measure. "This assistance may not be a large amount, but it will help the students to some extent. All students who have not been allotted a seat will receive this assistance,” added the treasurer.  The university is also working on constructing new halls, and temporary bunk beds have already been installed.  Professor Jahangir Alam also said that the Chinese  Embassy in Bangladesh has confirmed the construction of a hall for 2,500 female students.  Teachers should be honored with the highest status: Hasnat Abdullah DU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Sayma Haque Bidisha said that building the necessary infrastructure will take some time, but the administration is working diligently to alleviate students' hardships in the meantime. The financial assistance programme will provide temporary relief, allowing students to stay elsewhere. DU Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed, Dr. Abdullah-Al-Mamun, Chairperson of the Provost Standing Committee, and other female hall provosts, were present at the time, among others.  

Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) authorities have expelled 28 students for one year for ragging first year students of the university. Provost of Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy hall Bazlur Rahman Molla disclosed the decision around 4 am on Monday. Provost Bazlur said allegations of ragging were brought against 28 students on January 11. Textbook distribution to be completed by Feb: Press Secretary  After scrutiny, 28 students of the Suhrawardy hall were expelled as per the No 7 ordinance of the university. Action against the 25 non-resident students will be taken later. KUET admission test on Jan 11, results on Jan 26 Prof. Dr Md Abdul Aleem, proctor of the university, said a student fell unconscious during ragging on January 11 and punitive action were taken against the accused involved in the ragging.

The interim government has expressed optimism that the free textbook distribution among the primary and the secondary-level students could fully be completed by February 2025. “We expect all students to get textbooks in their hands by next month,” said Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Thursday. He was briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy after a meeting of the Council of Advisers, held at the Chief Adviser's Office with CA Dr Muhammad Yunus in the chair. Shafiqul Alam said though the textbook festival used to be celebrated on January 1 during the previous government, it took time up to March and in some occasions even up to July to complete the full distribution of textbooks. Don’t know when all students will get textbooks: Education Adviser “The last date for the textbook distribution was March 24 in 2022, March 17 in 2023 and February 27 in 2024, he said. About the waterlogging in Chattogram, the chief adviser directed the authorities concerned to resolve the waterlogging problem quickly as much as possible in Chattogram city, he said. In the meeting, there was a big discussion over the measures for quick solution to the traffic problem in the cities, he said. “We will see some quick steps soon in this matter.” EC allows celebration of new books distribution on January 1 Adviser Mahfuj Alam spoke on the declaration of the July revolution in the briefing. CA's deputy press secretaries Apurba Jahangir and Abul Kalam Azad Majumder were present.  

The admission test for the first-year honours programme at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) will be held on January 11. A total of 24,527 candidates will compete for 1,065 seats across 16 departments under three faculties. The exams will take place in 447 rooms across 11 venues, including the KUET campus, from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. 5 KUET teachers suspended over irregularities KUET Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Masood KUET said this to UNB this morning. He said that the university had been conducting admission tests under the engineering universities cluster admission system in recent years, but this year, it is organising the test independently. He informed that the seating arrangement for the candidates will be published on January 10, and the results or merit list will be announced on January 26.

Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have staged a protest demanding the abolition of discriminatory quotas in the university’s admission exams and a reduction in various fees. The protest took place on the university premises at 4:30 pm on Saturday. The students called for the elimination of all types of discriminatory quotas, as well as a reduction in admission, semester, and credit fees. Arman, a student from the Department of Political Studies, said: "Discrimination has not yet been eradicated in the country. While the admission fee for the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) exam has been reduced to Tk 200, it is unacceptable that students are being charged an application fee of Tk 1,200.” “We urged the university administration to reduce all types of fees as soon as possible," he said. Mohammad Shakil, a student from the Department of Sociology, said "The discrimination we aimed to eliminate for a fairer society has not ended. The main goal of the July Movement was to properly assess merit, but quotas continue to take precedence over merit. This contradicts the very spirit of the July Revolution.” He added, ‘Only quotas for backward communities should remain, but the students admitted under the meritorious quota mostly come from highly educated and wealthy families. This is extreme discrimination, and it is an insult to the martyrs of the July Revolution.’" Kiran Hawlader, a student from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, said: "We have been demanding a reduction in application, admission, semester, and credit fees for a long time.” “Although the university administration has given assurances, no action has been taken so far.” “We are warning that we should not have to take to the streets to resolve issues that can be settled through dialogue," Kiran added. The protesters have called for the postponement of the application process, which is scheduled to begin on 5 January, until the fees are revised.

The Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of Dhaka University held the admission test for the 2024-2025 academic year on Friday. A total of 10,278 students participated in the tests for 120 seats. Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan visited the IBA exam centre. Also present were Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr. Sayma Haque Bidisha, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed, Treasurer Professor Dr. M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Proctor Associate Professor Saifuddin Ahmed, and the Director of the Institute, Professor Shakil Huda. After inspecting the exam centre the vice-chancellor said that the tests were conducted in anorderly, peaceful, and competitive environment. Read: Over 69% candidates participate in Agriculture Cluster Admission Test The cooperation of volunteer students, the proctorial team, law enforcement agencies, and various volunteer organisations made it possible to control traffic and maintain discipline inside the university. The exam for the "Fine Arts Unit" undergraduate programme (General Knowledge and Drawing) will be held tomorrow. Additionally, the exam for the "Arts, Law, and Social Sciences Unit" will be held on Saturday; the "Science Unit" exam will be held on February 1 and the "BBA" exam will take place on February 8. The admission exams for all units will be held from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of the Coordinating Council of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has said that teaching must be recognised as a first-class profession in Bangladesh. So that the best talents of Bangladesh are encouraged to come to this profession, he said. 1972 constitution to be buried through July Revolution Declaration: Hasnat Speaking at a farewell event in Cumilla’s Centenary Debidwar Government Reaz Uddin Pilot Model High School, Abdullah emphasised that teachers, as the creators of future generations, should be honored with the highest status. The ceremony, chaired by the school’s Headmaster Md. Kamruzzaman Majumder and moderated by teacher Aliullah Khan. During the ceremony, two outgoing teachers reflected on their 33 years of service, offering valuable life advice to the students. ‘Ban ISKCON, arrest Advocate Alif’s killers in 24 hours’: Hasnat Abdullah They urged the young generation to avoid mobile addiction, drugs, and eve-teasing, encouraging them to focus on becoming responsible and well-rounded individuals.

A group of Dhaka University students staged a protest in front of the Vice Chancellor's office on Thursday evening, demanding the resignation of three syndicate members and the immediate announcement of a DUCSU election roadmap.   Three syndicate members are former leader of the blue panel, professor Dr. Sitesh Chandra Bachar, the president of the teacher's association and the leader of the blue panel, prof. Dr. Md. Nizamul Haque Bhuiyan and SM Bahalul Majnun Chunnu. AB Jubayer, one of the protesting students, said, "We do not want syndicate members who were involved in genocide and are part of the Awami fascist regime. This is our core demand. We have gathered here today to call for the resignation of these fascist syndicate members and for the immediate announcement of a DUCSU election roadmap." Meanwhile, leaders of Chhatra Dal called for reforms to be implemented before the DUCSU elections.

Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have voiced their dissatisfaction over a decision to leave the number of quota seats untouched for the 2024-25 academic year. In a notice Wednesday, authorities announced that the total number of quota seats for the 2024-25 academic year will remain unchanged at 105, as in previous years. According to the notice, there are 985 seats in the A Unit (Science) and 581 seats in the B Unit (Science, Humanities, and Commerce). In addition to these, 105 quota seats are available. Education Adviser warns of conspiracies in textbook distribution These include 28 seats for freedom fighters, 28 for small ethnic groups/Harijan-Dalit, 14 for the disabled, 20 for the dependent, 5 for tea workers, and 10 for sportspersons (BKSP). The decision has sparked anger among current and former students, who have taken to social media to express their frustration. Many students are upset that the quota system, which they claim thousands of students fought to abolish, has not been removed. One student said, “It’s very sad that the quota system, which costs many lives to challenge, still exists. We demand the unreasonable quotas be abolished quickly.” DU white panel elects new convening committee A student from the Business Administration department added, “We’ve been asking for the removal of unnecessary quotas, as well as a reduction in semester and credit fees, but the administration has not taken any action.” The student also said, “There should be no place for quotas, except for those benefiting backward classes, on the SUST campus.”