Jahangirnagar University announced its annual budget of Tk 318.44 crore for the financial year 2024-25 on Saturday, with Tk 7.22 crore allocated for research and innovation.
JU treasurer Rasheda Akhter presented the budget at the university鈥檚 annual senate session held in the senate hall, chaired by vice-chancellor Nurul Alam.
This year鈥檚 budget is Tk 29 lakh less than the previous year鈥檚 budget of Tk 318.73 crore.
The majority of the budget is allocated for salaries of teachers and employees, pensions for formers, and administrative costs. Specifically, 59.63 per cent of the budget is allocated for salaries, 23.31 per cent for goods and services, and 10.01 per cent for pensions and retirement facilities.
The allocation for research and innovation has increased slightly, with Tk 7.22 crore, which is 2.27 per cent of the budget, allocated to this sector, compared to Tk 5.52 crore or 1.92 per cent in the previous one.
JU vice-chancellor Nurul Alam emphasised the importance of quality research, stating, 鈥榃e have decided to give Tk 10,000 as a research allowance for each scientific paper, published in renowned international journals.鈥�
The University Grants Commission will provide Tk 279.12 crore of the budget, while Tk 39.32 crore will be collected from the JU鈥檚 internal sources.
However, there will be a net deficit of Tk 42.90 crore. VC Nurul Alam sought special allocations to address the growing deficit.
On June 23, the university syndicate approved the budget at a meeting held in the new administrative building.
However, several senate members, including those backed by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, criticised the budget for lacking consideration for quality education and research.
Senate member barrister Shihab Uddin Khan proposed drafting two statutes to curb financial irregularities and conserve campus biodiversity.
Meanwhile, a faction of leftist students of the university besieged the old administrative building during the senate meeting, protesting the proposed budget and ongoing 鈥榰nplanned鈥� construction on the campus.
Under the banner of 鈥楯ahangirnagar against Corruption鈥�, the protesters gathered at about 4:00pm to present a six-point charter of demands.
Their demands included increasing allocations for education and research sectors, installing a university press, and completing the university medical centre to ensure quality services.
They also called for a comprehensive master plan to conserve campus biodiversity, stopping indiscriminate tree felling, and protested the increasing admission fees for undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The last senate session was held on June 28, 2019.