Two private universities fined for defying Bar Council, UGC’s rules

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has directed Stamford University and Dhaka International University to pay a fine of Tk10 lakh each for enrolling more than 50 students per semester in the universities' law departments.

A bench led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmood Hossain passed the order against the private universities today for defying instructions of Bangladesh Bar Council and the University Grants Commission (UGC).

The court ordered to pay the amount to the Kidney and Liver Transplantation Unit of Birdem General Hospital in the capital.

However, the Appellate Division upheld the order of the High Court that directed the Bar Council to provide the students with registration cards for the upcoming Bangladesh Bar Council examination.

Earlier, the Bar Council had decided not to give registration cards to the students of the law departments of around 11 private universities in the country on the same allegations.

Later, around 2,000 students of the universities filed separate writ petitions to the High Court against the Bar Council's decision.

After holding hearings on the petitions, the High Court gave directions in favour of the students.

Seeking suspension of the High Court order, the Bar Council appealed to the Chamber Judges' Court.

Approving the appeal, the Chamber Judges' Court adjourned the order of the High Court and fixed the date for hearings on the petitions of the students in the full bench of the Appellate Division.