A dispute has emerged between Bangladesh’s public universities and the University Grants Commission (UGC) over authority to allocate and spend research funds. The conflict intensified after the government decided that, starting this year, research grants would be disbursed directly by the UGC instead of through university administrations. University leaders and teachers expressed anger, arguing that the change limits academic and financial autonomy and that the UGC lacks the organizational capacity to manage such a large research portfolio.

UGC Chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed said the new system aims to prevent overlapping allocations and ensure efficient use of public funds. He confirmed that a joint policy will be developed with vice-chancellors to balance government oversight and university independence. The UGC’s 2026–27 budget includes 23.8 billion taka for research across 59 public universities.

Teachers and education experts warned that the new process could create bureaucratic delays and harm research quality. Despite assurances from the UGC that academic freedom will not be compromised, several universities, including Dhaka and Jahangirnagar, have formally opposed the change, calling for a return to the previous funding system.