A UGC inspection team has visited the universities recently to have a latest picture of what is happening at those universities. Three out of six universities recommended for closure have virtually no academic activities, said UGC Chairman Dr M Asaduzzaman.

A nine-member evaluation committee headed by the chairman of the University Grants Commission submitted its report to the prime minister on October 17, 2004 recommending closure of eight private universities for violating rules and regulations.

Four of those universities were operating in Dhaka. These are Central Women's University, Queens University, America-Bangladesh University, and Green University of Bangladesh.

The other four are Comilla University, Pundra University of Science and Technology Bogra, BGC Trust University Chittagong and Southern University Chittagong.

They were found lacking in adequate full-time teachers and infrastructure, appropriate curriculum, examination system, grading system, library and laboratory facilities.

A one-member judicial probe committee headed by retired justice M Fazlul Huq formed on November 2, 2004 however dropped the two universities of Chittagong from the closure list.

The UGC team went to inspect Green University at Farmgate last February. The team found only five students and two part time teachers at the university. Most of the rooms including library and computer laboratory were under lock and key, said the inspection report.

Two students of law were found attending class while one of BBA and two of CSE were found roaming around, says the inspection report.

"Green University has no competence or physical state to conduct higher education. No academic programme is in fact being run at this university," it says.

The team inspected the Queens University at a three-story building on Kemal Ataturk Avenue in Banani on February 28. "The team found no students, teachers and no officials except one gate man at the university," the report said.

During inspection of Central Women's University on Abhoy Das Lane in Old Dhaka on March 1, the UGC team found six students but no teachers or officials. All eight students of three disciplines sit in one room at a time for class, the report said quoting the students.

Comilla University and Pundra University of Science and Technology in Bogra are too in a similar condition, said the UGC chairman.

According to a UGC source, a powerful political and trade lobby has been active to keep the errant universities still running. "Nothing will happen to these universities, as the lobby has managed a powerful section at the Prime Minister's Office to foil any administrative actions against them," said a UGC source last October.