Cumilla University Collects Tk 3.4 Crore in Department and Society Fees Over 9 Years, Lacks Clear Expenditure Records

Cumilla University (CoU) collects approximately Tk 37.87 lakh annually from new students under the heads of ‘Department Fee’ and ‘Society Fee.’ Over the past nine years, the university’s 19 departments have amassed around Tk 3.4 crore from these fees. However, the university administration has no specific records of how this substantial amount has been spent.

According to the university’s Finance Office, departments rarely submit annual income-expenditure reports. Despite repeated requests, most departments show reluctance to undergo audits. In response, the new administration has sent letters to the departments, with instructions to follow up if responses are not received.

SM Mahmud, Deputy Director of the Finance Office, stated, “Previously, no one asked for these accounts. The new administration has now initiated the process. Letters have been sent to the departments, and some have responded, but we cannot specify how many have submitted their accounts.” An official from the Finance Office added, “These fees are directly collected by the departments, but they do not provide audit reports to the administration. They are generally opposed to audits. We have assured them that direct audits won’t happen immediately. The administration will first review everything, and only then will a formal audit take place.” The Registrar’s Office reported that, excluding quotas, 1,030 students are admitted annually across the 19 departments. The fee amounts vary, with the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and English departments collecting the highest—around Tk 3 lakh annually each. The Archaeology Department collects the least, at Tk 1.2 lakh per year. Departments such as Accounting, Marketing, Finance, Public Administration, Anthropology, Economics, and Pharmacy each generate Tk 1.8 lakh annually. The Physics Department collects Tk 2.5 lakh, Mathematics Tk 2.1 lakh, Chemistry Tk 2 lakh, Statistics Tk 1.75 lakh, Bangla Tk 1.92 lakh, and Law and Journalism Tk 1.5 lakh each. Vice-Presidents (VPs) of departmental societies revealed that when events are organized, societies submit a demand to the department, which then allocates a budget. However, they are unaware of the total funds collected or how they are spent. Department chairpersons claimed that the collected fees are used for student welfare, including educational tours, departmental weeks, grants, and guest lecturers. However, they do not submit income-expenditure reports to the administration. When asked if they received letters from the administration regarding these accounts, they confirmed receiving them and said they have started working on it, adding that accounts are maintained within the departments. However, Professor Dr. Mohammad Shamsuzzaman Milki, Chairman of the Bangla Department, offered a different perspective. He said, “The fees collected from students are spent on their welfare and are properly documented. These are the department’s own funds, so we do not report income-expenditure to the administration.” When asked if he received a letter from the administration regarding accounts, he clarified, “It was not about income-expenditure but about bank withdrawals.” He added, “We discussed in the academic committee whether to share accounts with the administration. With everyone’s consent, we decided we are not willing to show our accounts to the administration.” Multiple students from various departments stated that they regularly pay society and department fees but are not informed about events, expenditures, or budgets. They noted that departments never disclose budget details. University Treasurer Professor Dr. Mohammad Solaiman remarked, “The fees collected from students are part of the university’s internal revenue, used for departmental needs. There was no practice of submitting accounts earlier, but it will happen in the future. Every fund and department in the university will eventually come under audit. No one is exempt.”