Advisory Council Approves Dhaka Central University Ordinance

The Advisory Council on Thursday approved the final draft of the Dhaka Central University Ordinance, 2026, paving the way to establish a dedicated university for the capital’s seven public colleges.

News of the approval sparked jubilation among students protesting at Dhaka College. Around 2pm, Education Adviser CR Abrar called Abdur Rahman, a political science student and key coordinator of the movement, to share the government’s decision, sending the protesters into celebration.

Abdur Rahman said, “Our 1.5-year movement has finally borne fruit.” He and other students described the ordinance as a major milestone for the country’s education sector.

The final draft has been significantly revised from last year’s version. It mandates the government to establish a standalone permanent campus with self-sufficient infrastructure for academic and administrative activities of the seven colleges.

The new campus will handle curriculum development, session scheduling, and regulatory oversight, while the historic campuses of the seven colleges will be preserved along with their original names. Higher secondary education will continue at these colleges.

Additionally, the previous requirement for 35% mandatory online classes has been removed in the final ordinance.