UGC drafting policy to prevent plagiarism in research

The University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC) has taken an initiative to formulate a universal anti-plagiarism policy to prevent plagiarism in higher education and research.

UGC Member Masuma Habib said different universities in the country have developed their own anti-plagiarism policies and are implementing them separately.

A centrally developed policy by the UGC would provide a unified guideline for all universities, she said while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop held today (9 March) at the commission's auditorium. The workshop was organised to gather stakeholder opinions on the draft anti-plagiarism policy.

The event was chaired by Durga Rani Sarkar, director of the Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance (SPQA) Division of the UGC.

The University Grants Commission holds a workshop to gather stakeholder opinions on the draft anti-plagiarism policy on 9 March 2026. Photo: TBS

Durga Rani Sarkar said the UGC has undertaken the initiative to develop a policy to prevent plagiarism in academic and research reports in higher education. Before finalising the draft policy, opinions are being collected from university teachers, researchers, administrators and other relevant stakeholders.

Based on these recommendations, necessary revisions will be incorporated before the policy is finalised, she added.

She noted that the policy would be particularly helpful for new researchers, offering clear guidance on citation practices, proper use of data and information, and ethical aspects of research. According to her, the initiative would help prevent plagiarism and raise awareness about research ethics.

The UGC member also acknowledged that although the initiative has come somewhat late, the commission has now started working on the policy and thanked those involved in the process. She expressed hope that feedback from stakeholders would help make the policy universal and globally acceptable.

Emphasising the importance of ethics in preventing plagiarism, Habib said university teachers and researchers must place greater importance on moral values. She added that if teachers uphold ethical standards and demonstrate them to students, plagiarism in research could be effectively reduced.

The workshop, moderated by SPQA Deputy Director Mohammad Monir Ullah, was attended by directors and additional directors of Institutional Quality Assurance Cells (IQACs) from 21 public and private universities, along with senior officials of the UGC.