The government has a plan to establish a university in every district with public and private initiatives to ensure ease of higher education, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid told Jatiya Sangsad yesterday.

“Under this programme, the present government has established three public universities and gave approval for setting up and running 16 private universities since 2014,” said Nahid in reply to lawmakers’ queries.

He also said works are going on to set up eight more universities under the government initiative.

He added that the “Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Science and Technology University Act” was enacted and formulation of the “Sheikh Hasina University Act, 2017” is underway.

Besides, a draft bill is being prepared to establish “Habiganj Agriculture University”, “Luxmipur Science and Technology University”, “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Aviation and Aerospace University, Dhaka,” “Hazi Asmat Science and Technology University, Kishoreganj,” “Chandpur Science and Technology University,” and “Bogra Science and Technology University”, said Nahid.

Meanwhile, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday told the parliament that the country has a total of 62 schools for the persons with disabilities.

“The government has launched 62 schools for the mentally retarded at district and upazila levels.”

In 2011, the government launched a full-fledged free special school for the autistic children.

Menon said four schools were launched at Mirpur, Lalbagh, Uttara and Jatrabari each in Dhaka, six at Rajshahi, Khulna, Chittagong, Barisal, Rangpur and Sylhet cities each and one in Gaibandha.

These are being operated by trained caregivers and teachers and a total of 7,709 disabled students are studying there, said the minister.

As per an official survey, the country has 6,85,263 physically challenged and 1, 21,047 mentally challenged people.