Southeast University fined Tk 1m for violating UGC order

The Appellate Division on Thursday fined Southeast University one million taka for enrolling more than 50 students in LLB course, defying the decision of University Grants Commission (UGC).

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after disposing of a petition filed by Bangladesh Bar Council, reports news agency UNB.

The court also asked the university authorities to submit the penalty fee to the Bangladesh Bar Council and allow the students to appear at the Bar Council Enrollment Examination after providing registration cards, said advocate SM Kafil Uddin.

Advocate Ashik Al Jalil stood for the students of Southeast University while advocate AY Mashiuzzaman and SM Kafil Uddin represented the Bar Council at the court.

According to an UGC decision taken in 2014, no universities are allowed to enroll more than 50 students in the LLB course under the Department of Law.

Some 86 students of the university failed to collect their registration cards from the Bar Council to sit for the examination.

Later, the students filed a petition with the High Court seeking registration cards and allowing them to appear in the Bar Council enrollment examination. The court asked the Bar Council to allow the students to take the examination with registration cards.

The Bar Council later filed a petition challenging the HC order.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court fined City University for allowing admission to over 50 students under the law department.