Financial Irregularities at Dhaka University IBA: Audit Reveals Loss of Nearly 34 Crore Taka

PNN News Desk: Dhaka

Audits conducted by the Education Audit Directorate have revealed long-standing financial irregularities at the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of Dhaka University. The audit for the 2023–2024 fiscal year found that payments for routine academic duties, building and lift repairs, unrecorded revenue in the budget, and other issues have resulted in a financial loss of 33 crore 57 lakh 77 thousand 302 Taka for the university.

The audit report highlights that routine academic tasks related to the BBA and MBA programs—such as question paper preparation, invigilation, and answer sheet evaluation—were given payments of nearly 22 lakh 80 thousand Taka, although these duties fall under regular teaching responsibilities. According to General Financial Rules, such payments should comply with government financial discipline, which was not followed.

Additionally, regular teachers were paid over 1 lakh 11 thousand Taka per course for “overload courses,” totaling more than 34 lakh Taka. However, the audit found no documentation to justify classifying these courses as overload.

Irregularities were also observed in infrastructure maintenance. For instance, a single contractor was assigned multiple phases for installing a new lift, with an expenditure of around 18 lakh Taka, but not all bills and vouchers were submitted for audit. Similarly, phased expenditures for roof repairs lacked the necessary documentation and engineering approvals. Open tender procedures were often ignored.

The most serious irregularity was the failure to include funds held in IBA’s bank accounts in the university’s budget. The audit found that over 26 crore Taka in FDRs and other accounts were not recorded as income, contrary to the directives of the University Grants Commission.

Additionally, overhead charges collected from income through recruitment exams and projects were not deposited into the central fund, resulting in a financial loss of nearly 5 crore 62 lakh Taka. Procurement processes also violated prescribed limits, with excess expenditure noted.

Audit findings also indicated that no stock or asset records were maintained for purchased laptops and furniture, making it difficult to track usage or status.

When asked, IBA Director Professor Shakil Huda stated that he was not in charge during the relevant period. However, responses have been provided, and the responsibility for resolution lies with the Audit Directorate.

Education Audit Director General Md. Kamrul Alam said that the audit process at Dhaka University is ongoing, so comments before the final decision would be inappropriate. Meanwhile, University Treasurer Professor M. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury noted that the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) is responsible for media statements. Attempts to contact the Pro-VC were unsuccessful.

The audit report recommends taking appropriate administrative action against the relevant officers and department heads.