The High Court yesterday wanted to know whether public and private universities are conferring PhD and equivalent degrees to the students following rules and regulations of the University Grants Commission.

The court ordered the UGC to enquire into this issue and submit a report to it in the next three months.

At the same time, the court directed Dhaka University vice chancellor to enquire the allegation against one of its teachers who reported earned his doctorate degree by submitting a 98 percent plagiarised dissertation.

The VC has been asked to submit a report before the court in the next 15 days.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the order following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Md Moniruzzaman seeking necessary orders.

He submitted the writ petition on January 26 based on a report published in Prothom Alo’s online version on January 21 saying that 98 percent of the thesis of DU Associate Professor Abul Kalam Lutful Kabir was not original.

The HC yesterday also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain in four weeks why they should not be directed to take steps for scrutinising the thesis proposal by the Information and Communication technology (ICT) experts before finalising the thesis of the students.

In order to prevent forgery in PhD and equivalent degrees, education secretary, UGC Chairman and DU VC and other concerned have been made respondents to the rule.