41,401 public varsity students to get Tk8000 loan each to buy smartphone
The students will have to pay back the money in four installments
The University Grants Commission (UGC) will provide soft loans to 41,401 students of 39 public universities across the country to help them buy smartphones for their online academic activities.
Each student will get Tk8,000 by 31 January next year. The students will have to pay back the money in four installments after the reopening of the universities.
The higher education regulatory authority will provide the universities with the fund in advance under fiscal 2020-21.
Dhaka University will receive the highest amount of fund for 8,556 students while Khulna University of Engineering and Technology will get the lowest amount for 5,860 students.
The students of National University, Bangladesh Open University, Islamic Arabic University, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Chattogram Medical University, Rajshahi Medical University, and Sylhet Medical University will not get the loan.
The commission took the decision at a virtual meeting with its Chairman Professor Kazi Shahidullah in the chair.
UGC members Professor Dr Dil Afroza Begum, Professor Dr Sazzad Hossain, Professor Md Alamgir, Professor Biswajit Chanda and Professor Dr Md Abu Taher, among others, participated in the meeting.