Every year the university does printing and binding work worth Tk 10 lakh from the DU printing press while the authorities spend Tk 40 lakh on printing and binding work from outside, sources said.

In last ten years, the university did printing and binding work worth Tk 1 crore from its printing press while the authorities had to spend over Tk 6 crore in salaries and other benefits to its officials and employees.

During the period, the authorities had to do printing and binding work worth about Tk 4 crore -- Tk 2 crore on printing and binding materials and Tk 2 on printing from outside.

If the authorities could do those printing and binding work from its own press, the total cost would stand at Tk 2 crore only, said a source.

Thus, in the last one decade, the university had to incur a loss of about Tk 7 crore from its printing press.

The printing and binding of some examination papers, tabulation sheets and admit cards of examinations are still being done from the DU printing press while the printing and binding works in connection with convocations, souvenirs, annual reports, diaries and other necessary documents of different faculties and departments are done from outside.

The DU printing press, established in 1950 near the campus, still use letterpress-printing process, which has become obsolete in this era of modern technology.

An officer of the press requesting anonymity said the printing machine remains mostly unworkable, as spares of the machinery have become rare as such a press is no longer used in the country.

A total of 73 officers, technicians and workers are working at the press.

As the authorities have a plan to modernise the press, no appointment is being given here, as expert hands will be needed with the introduction of modern technology but anything positive is yet to be done, sources at DU press told The Daily Star.

About 15 years ago, DU authorities took initiative to modernise it through a press advisory committee. After its failure, another committee, press modernisation committee headed by the then DU treasurer, was formed in 2000 to materialise the plan.

The press modernisation committee, which was reconstituted at least on four occasions through addition of members or by changing the person to head, submitted reports to modernise the press but nothing fruitful has been done during the six long years.

The press modernisation committee headed by former treasurer Prof Syed Rashidul Hasan submitted a report to the authorities with some recommendations for using modern technology and appointing necessary hands to modernise the press.

It also recommended transferring the old and not properly oriented employees to other departments after making provisions for their jobs.

The DU Syndicate did not approve of the recommendation after it was produced on February 12 this year, as the committee did not show 'cost benefit', sources in the Syndicate said. The Syndicate introduced three more members into the committee and directed it to find 'cost benefit'.

As the tenure of Prof Syed Rashidul Hasan ended, newly appointed Treasurer Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad took over the new committee.

Instead of finding out the cost benefit of the earlier committee's recommendation, the newly shaped committee recommended making the printing press a joint venture one with a ratio of 51:49 that is now waiting for the Syndicate's approval, sources said.

"The committee thinks, if made a joint venture, the printing press can be a profitable institution. If the Syndicate approves it, we will fix the terms and conditions to make the printing press a joint venture one," said Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad.

However, sources talking to The Daily Star said making the printing press a joint venture will interfere with the secrecy of the university's different document papers and give rise to various problems including forged certificates, mark-sheets and other papers.

It is very much possible to make the press profitable by using modern technology and appointing some experts, they said.

If a modern offset press is introduced, it can do all the printing and binding work of the university, and the maintenance and official costs will eventually reduce, sources said.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof AFM Yusuf Haider said a proposal for modernisation of the printing press is waiting for the Syndicate's approval.