President Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday said most private universities in Bangladesh have practically no proper campus and are yet to create an atmosphere conducive to good educational requirement.

"We must not compromise on quality education, proper environment, a teaching staff of excellence, moral values and on discipline. It is a responsibility of the university authorities to see that the students are groomed up with the latest knowledge, strong character and an uncompromising patriotism" he said.

"The private university authorities should develop pleasant campus with absolute necessity and pride for the teachers, students and guardians," the president said while addressing the 2nd convocation of Ahsanullah University of Science

and Technology (AUST) at Bangladesh China Friendship Conference Centre here.

Iajuddin Ahmed, also Chancellor of the AUST, said the private universities in the West and in the neighbouring countries have a long record of success and they attract students from home and abroad by ways of their excellence and peaceful campus atmosphere.

Compared to the West and many other countries in the East, he said the concept of establishing university in the private sector is rather belated in this part of the world.

"Still it is a good sign that the academics in cooperation with resourceful persons have come together with specific goal of spreading higher education in the society through establishing private universities," he said.

Despite the commercial propensities of some private universities,

the president said these seats of higher learning both specialised and general, have an ideal approach of targeting production of enlightened and qualified citizen for the country.

"The ultimate fact is that there is distinctly visible trend now among the entrepreneurs to go ahead for establishing universities in the private sector which was absent before 1992, when The Private University Act was passed at the initiative of Prime Minister Khaleda Zia," he said.

Considering this short period, the success has been quite distinct and positive, he added.

Iajuddin said education is costly but it should not be so costly that the general mass of our country can not avail it to groom their children as educational personalities.

"Let us hope that we could accommodate in our private universities students from all walks of life,"

he said.

He suggested formation of a transparent body immediately by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to evaluate academic and financial activities of the universities for their own good and progress.

Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology and President of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh Prof. Dr. M Anwarul Azim addressed the function as the convocation speaker.

Vice-Chancellor of AUST Professor MH Khan, President and Chief Executive of Dhaka Ahsania Mission Kazi Rafiqul Alam and Chairman of the University Syndicate Kazi Fazlur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.