Education
Nagad to Disburse Stipends to 54 Lakh Students in Bangladesh
The Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust has announced its initiative to provide stipends to around 54 lakh underprivileged and meritorious students at the secondary level in Bangladesh through Nagad, a prominent mobile financial service provider. The aim is to ensure their enrollment in schools.
As part of the stipend disbursement program, students from classes six to ten will receive Taka 5,000 each as one-time assistance. Online applications for the stipends have already been submitted by disadvantaged students, with disbursements set to commence shortly.
Previously, this stipend was distributed through various channels, but concerns about alleged irregularities prompted the government to reconsider. To enhance transparency and efficiency, it has been decided to distribute this assistance solely through Nagad, according to a recent decision by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education under the Education Ministry.
Officials familiar with the matter reveal that stipends for secondary level students under the PM’s Education Assistance Trust were previously disbursed through multiple mobile banking services, including Nagad, and even through banks. However, various problems arose during these disbursements, making it challenging to ensure that the stipends reached the intended beneficiaries.
To address these issues, the decision was made to streamline the process through a single platform. Nagad was chosen due to its proven track record in successfully distributing primary education stipends to 1.5 crore students.
Moreover, Nagad is currently the largest mobile banking company in Bangladesh, with over nine crore registered customers and three lakh agent points nationwide, facilitating convenient money withdrawals.
Government agencies favor Nagad’s services due to its successful track record in disbursing government allowances and stipends. Additionally, Nagad’s lower costs make it a preferred choice for such initiatives.
In late January, the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust issued a notification stating its intention to provide admission assistance to poor and meritorious students enrolled in secondary and equivalent levels in various educational institutions. Eligibility criteria include an annual parental income of less than Taka two lakh and considerations for children of employees in certain government sectors.
Since 2013, a fund of Taka 1,000 crore has been allocated under the PM’s Education Assistance Trust to provide one-time assistance to underprivileged and meritorious students at different educational levels. The assistance amounts have been fixed at Taka 5,000 for secondary level, Taka 6,000 for higher-secondary level, and Taka 10,000 for graduate and equivalent levels, as per government decisions.
Dhaka University authorities have suspended eight students for their alleged involvement in the brutal killing of Tofazzal Hossain, who was lynched two days ago at a university dormitory. The announcement was made public today, September 21, through a press release.
Among the suspended students are three former leaders of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL). These include Jalal Ahmed, former deputy secretary of science and technology affairs; Ahsan Ullah, former secretary of mass communication and development affairs; and Al Hossain Sajjad, BCL’s office secretary and a student of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
The other suspended students are Mohammad Sumon from the Department of Soil, Water, and Environment; Muttakin Sakin from the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science; Md Firoz Kabir from the Department of Botany; and Md Abdus Samad and Wazibul Alam from the Department of Physics.
Authorities revealed that six of the eight accused — Jalal Mia, Mohammad Suman, Ahsan Ullah, Muttakin Sakin, Al Hossain Sajjad, and Wazibul Alam — have already been apprehended by law enforcement.
In addition, the university administration announced the removal of the provost of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall, with a new provost appointed to take over the position.
Jahangirnagar University (JU) has appointed two new pro vice-chancellors and a treasurer, as announced today (September 18) by the Ministry of Education. The appointments, made on the order of the President, will last for the next four years.
The information was confirmed through three separate notifications, signed by Shahinur Islam, deputy secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Department under the Ministry of Education.
According to the announcements, Professor Sohel Ahmed from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Professor M Mahfuzur Rahman from the Department of Botany have been appointed as pro vice-chancellors. Professor Md Abdur Rab from the Department of Mathematics has been appointed as the university’s treasurer.
Despite their four-year tenure, the notifications specify that the President, in his capacity as Chancellor, retains the authority to cancel these appointments at any time. Additionally, their salaries will remain the same as their current pay structure.
The role of the pro vice-chancellors includes performing duties assigned by the vice-chancellor, and they are also required to reside on campus.
These new appointments follow aVice-Chancellor recent leadership change at the university. After the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, the vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University resigned on August 7, followed by the resignation of the pro vice-chancellors on August 13 and 19.
Md Ziaul Haque Bhuiyan, a prominent businessman and young professional, has been elected as the new President of the IUT Alumni Association (IUTAA). His election to this leadership position follows his term as Vice President of the organization from 2022 to 2024.
Bhuiyan’s professional journey began after earning his engineering degree in electrical engineering from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT). Throughout his academic and professional career, he has been actively involved in various social initiatives. He has held senior roles in several renowned multinational corporations and local business groups, including Grameenphone, Huawei, and Onno Rokom Group.
Currently, he serves as the Chief of Staff at ShopUp, Bangladesh’s largest startup, and is the co-founder of an AI-focused startup, Oleyn.ai. In addition to his entrepreneurial ventures, Bhuiyan leads multiple businesses and social organizations, with a strong emphasis on youth development.
He also previously served as President of Junior Chamber International Bangladesh (JCI), a well-known global organization. Furthermore, Bhuiyan holds the position of Director at Chandpur Model Hospital in Haziganj, Chandpur, actively contributing to the healthcare sector.
