Desk Report:
Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has urged private universities to use tax exemption money for quality education and research. He said that self-regulation of universities is more important than government control.
He made these remarks as the chief guest at a view-sharing meeting on the role of private universities in implementing the national budget 2026-2027, skilled human resources, research, innovation and economic development organized by the Bangladesh Private Universities Association at The Westin Dhaka on Sunday (July 12, 2026).
He said that Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has announced to bring all sectors and marginalized communities outside the country’s economic mainstream under the scope of GDP (gross domestic product) by 2034. He clarified that GDP does not only mean the production of industries; the country’s economy will be further strengthened by monetizing big potential sectors like theater, music, fine arts and rural cottage industries.
The program was presided over by Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) Chairman Dr. Md. Sabur Khan and was attended by University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) Chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed as special guest. Chairmen of the Board of Trustees of various private universities of the country, Vice-Chancellors, eminent educationists, industry representatives and media personalities participated in the program.
In his speech as the chief guest, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury highlighted the rationale for tax exemption for private universities and said, “Education is a non-profit sector, there is no opportunity to seek profit here. Despite the difficult situation left by the previous government, such as the fragile economy, huge internal arrears and about 235 billion dollars in laundering, we have decided to waive the tax imposed on private universities from a policy point of view. This 5% tax money will remain with you from next year. However, this saved money should be spent on research to improve the quality of education, achieve international benchmarks and increase the rating of universities.” He said, our party (BNP) has believed in private sector-led growth since its birth. The government cannot do everything alone, the government is only a facilitator. Therefore, we want to work in partnership with the private sector and NGOs for the sustainable development of the country. Promising to maintain predictability in the government’s policies for the benefit of investors, he said that everything has been specified for 5 years in this year’s budget, so that businessmen can make long-term plans without any problems.
The minister said that by reducing foreign dependence in the ICT sector and giving priority to graduates of domestic private universities and local ICT companies, the Finance Minister called on universities to get involved in the country’s capital market.
Urging the society to keep an eye on the quality and management of universities, he said that the current government does not believe in imposing regulations by imposing laws. We want universities and their associations to ensure good governance through ‘self-regulation’ or self-control. Every university has to play a leading role in eliminating the moral decay of the country.
In the speech of the president at the event, Dr. Md. Sabur Khan and special guest Professor Mamun Ahmed praised the government’s timely and private sector-friendly approach to improving the quality of higher education and promoting research, and expressed their commitment to work in partnership with the government for national development.
