The University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh has approved a total budget of Tk 12,300 crore 4 lakh for the 2026–27 fiscal year to cover expenses of 58 public universities and the commission itself. Of this, Tk 12,001 crore 82 lakh is allocated for the universities and Tk 298 crore 58 lakh for the UGC. The budget was approved at the 178th full commission meeting chaired by UGC Chairman Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed. Dhaka University received the highest revenue allocation of Tk 949 crore 36 lakh for the upcoming fiscal year.

The total allocation for public universities increased by Tk 1,497 crore 83 lakh compared to the revised budget of Tk 10,802 crore 21 lakh in 2025–26. The new budget includes Tk 7,428 crore 43 lakh for operational expenses and Tk 4,573 crore 39 lakh for 43 development projects. The UGC’s main budget also earmarks Tk 238 crore for research and foreign scholarships, up from Tk 229 crore in the previous year.

Following an April 2026 decision to merge overlapping research funds, Tk 200 crore from universities’ research budgets has been integrated into the UGC’s allocation, raising its research fund to Tk 226 crore. The UGC chairman noted that despite limited resources, transparent and prioritized spending could significantly benefit higher education.