Sources confirm that following the mass uprising in July 2024, Hanif fled to India and is currently residing in a rented flat in Kolkata. From there, he has been attempting to operationalize the university. In November 2024, the university’s Trustee Board was restructured, with Hanif’s trusted associate, Halimuzzaman, CEO of Healthcare Pharma, appointed as chairman, replacing Fouzia Alam. In 2023, when the university was approved, Fouzia Alam was the chairman, Hanif was a member, and the board included professors from Islamic University (IU) and a garment factory owner.
Allegations of irregularities also surround the approval process. The university was approved using the address of a building under construction owned by Hanif’s brother, Ataur Rahman Atar, at plots 6 and 7 of Kushtia Housing Estate. When the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) initiated an investigation into Atar’s assets, the university’s signboard was removed. The current District Council authorities state that the seventh and eighth floors of the building were illegally rented to Hanif for 3 lakh taka per month by the then-chairman and fugitive Awami League leader Rabiul Islam.
According to the university’s registrar office, the Trustee Board was restructured in October 2024, and operations began in November. The university has appointed 24 teachers and 37 staff members. Student admissions started in January 2025 across five departments, with an approval to admit up to 40 students per department. As of July 31, 2025, 101 students have been enrolled.
The university authorities are reportedly attempting to appoint a BNP-affiliated academic as vice-chancellor. A panel of three candidates has been sent to the University Grants Commission (UGC), led by Professor Farukuzzaman, head of IU’s Computer Science and Engineering Department and president of Jiya Parishad, alongside two other IU professors.
Trustee Board Chairman Halimuzzaman claims, “Hanif and his wife have resigned from the Trustee Board, and the university has no current ties with Awami League leaders.” However, sources suggest Hanif strategically retains control over the board.
According to the UGC’s latest data, Bangladesh has 116 private universities, over half of which have shifted to permanent campuses, while only 20 have received permanent certificates.
