The PhD landscape in Bangladesh: A reality check

Illustration: TBS

Back in July 2024, the headline for a TBS story read, 'Why 1,900 PhD-holders want jobs as drivers and cleaners abroad'.

Learning that PhD holders in Bangladesh — individuals trained to conduct research, teach and push the boundaries of human knowledge — were resorting to jobs that require little to no academic qualification was a jarring reality check, one that forces a critical reassessment of the quality and credibility of the PhD programmes at our local universities.

A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is meant to contribute original research to a field, demonstrating expertise and advancing knowledge. Yet, in Bangladesh, both the quality and purpose of people seeking the degree are quite suspect.

Take, for instance, Benazir Ahmed, the absconding former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police. Though he holds a PhD from Dhaka University, his thesis was never published in any reputable (or even obscure) academic journal. More troubling still, he did not meet the admission requirements for the programme in the first place.

In principle, a PhD demands rigorous coursework and extensive research; it is a full-time commitment. But in Bangladesh, the reality falls far below international standards.

Majority of the scholars who choose Bangladeshi PhD programmes are university faculty members. And they are typically among the most qualified ones to obtain the degree; they have good results, superior research experience, and an overall academic mindset — everything it takes to pursue a PhD at a top foreign university. 

Despite that, many of them choose Bangladeshi programmes to do so, knowing that a Bangladeshi PhD is relatively inferior in almost all the metrics for judgement. And in recent years, civil service officials, army officers and other professionals have also begun flocking towards local PhD degrees.

"Many people pursue PhDs from institutions where they are easier to obtain, as they want to earn the degree with minimal effort, fearing that a rigorous PhD programme would be too demanding," said Masuma Habib, a member of University Grants Commission (UGC) who teaches animal sciences at the Graduate Training Institute, Bangladesh Agricultural University.

"But a PhD is not mandatory for everyone. The aspiration for learning or being trained in research, taking coursework, and the intention to produce new knowledge are essential," she added.

Nadim Mahmud, a postdoctoral research scholar at the University of California, San Diego, said some people go for a PhD to achieve social status; to use the term 'Dr' before their names.

However, Sukanta Biswas, a PhD scholar at Institute of Bangladesh Studies​ (IBS) at Rajshahi University, notes that some aspirants, despite having genuine interest in research, cannot go for foreign PhDs due to personal or familial reasons.

"For me, personally, when I joined Gopalganj Science and Technology University as a lecturer in 2011, there were only two of us teaching at the department with an overload of coursework, and I could not even think of leaving to pursue a PhD," said Sukanta, now an associate professor at the Department of English in the institution.

"Now it is a bit relaxed, so I am pursuing my PhD at IBS," he added. 

"Some professionals, particularly university faculty members, undertake PhDs primarily to fulfill job requirements rather than for academic passion," noted Nadim.

The real scenario

In Bangladesh, the PhD process often lacks structure and accountability. Allegations of plagiarism, lack of substantial outcome, and professors claiming students' research as their own surface almost daily. Many theses fail to meet international research standards while only a handful are published in reputable journals.

"I think IBS is one-of-its-kind in Bangladesh, and it offers separate housing, infrastructure, and other facilities to PhD students. But that is nowhere near the actual scenario of Bangladesh," said Sukanta. "That said, IBS still lacks teachers for taught courses, and faculty members from other departments have to proxy for those."

According to him, IBS is supposed to have 17 faculty members, but it has only five. If this is the reality of one of the best Bangladeshi PhD programmes, then the situation of other programmes remains questionable.

I have prepared multiple theses, and I was paid Tk20,000-30,000 for each of them. I conducted the entire research and wrote the articles myself, and they were published under the PhD candidate's name.

Student, Jahangirnagar University

PhD funding in Bangladesh is scarce, leaving many researchers struggling. Unlike developed countries, there are few government scholarships or stipends. Most rely on personal savings, small university grants, or outside funding, which rarely cover research costs.

Sukanta said that at IBS, he receives a monthly stipend of Tk20,000. While this amount may seem inadequate as a stipend for an individual, it becomes a reasonable support when combined with the salaries faculty members continue to receive while on study leave.

But not all PhD students receive funding; many self-finance their degrees, raising concerns about the quality and depth of their research. Industry-backed research is also rare, limiting real-world impact.

With little financial support, many PhD students either struggle to finish or look to go abroad, adding to the country's brain drain.

Another alarming issue in Bangladesh's PhD landscape is plagiarism. A recent case at Dhaka University revealed that 98% of a faculty member's PhD dissertation was copied. Such cases are not rare. Some candidates lift entire sections from previous research without proper citation, and local universities lack effective mechanisms to detect or prevent such practices.

"The integrity, and the commitment to producing new knowledge is pretty much non-existent in Bangladesh," said Nadim.

But the situation is different in neighbouring countries. 

Nadim pointed out that Indian PhD holders, for instance, tend to secure jobs that better align with their academic qualifications.

However, sharing an example of one of the teachers she trained, Professor Masuma stated, "Not all Bangladeshi PhDs are of poor quality; there are many who have completed their PhDs in Bangladesh and are doing well."

Despite UGC regulations, the monitoring of PhD programmes remains weak. Which of course, is evident when we see PhD holders like the former IGP Benazir Ahmed and General Aziz Ahmed. While universities are supposed to follow general guidelines, enforcement varies.

"A dedicated monitoring team should be established to oversee qualifications, performance, coursework, and research progress. Additionally, universities, supervisors, and PhD candidates' qualifications should be systematically evaluated within a structured monitoring framework," said Professor Masuma.

Bangladesh's PhD black market

Forget about bribing for PhDs, there is an entire "market" dedicated to those who want to get PhDs without putting in the work. From data collection to writing the thesis itself, everything is for sale by "service providers" for a certain fee. The fees typically range between Tk10,000 to Tk50,000, depending on the workload and requirements.

"I have prepared multiple theses, and I was paid Tk20,000-30,000 for each of them," said a student from Jahangirnagar University, requesting anonymity.

"I conducted the entire research and wrote the articles myself, and they were published under the PhD candidate's name," she added.

This shadow industry thrives due to weak academic oversight and the pressure to obtain a PhD for career advancement, rather than genuine research contributions. Many students and researchers, struggling with financial constraints, take up this work as a source of income, while candidates seeking the degree often see it as just a formality.

As a result, the integrity of academic research is compromised, further diminishing the value of PhDs from institutions where such unethical practices are prevalent.

Public versus private university PhDs

In Bangladesh, 56 institutions are allowed to provide PhD degrees — all of them public universities. 

But private universities are now pushing to establish PhD programs, though concerns remain about their ability to maintain academic integrity. While some institutions genuinely strive for excellence, the fear of exploiting the demand for PhDs as a business opportunity persists.

"If an institution has adequate research facilities along with qualified faculty and researchers, there should be no issue in awarding PhDs. As long as the established PhD standards are maintained, granting the degree should not be a problem," said Professor Masuma.

The UCSD researcher, Nadim, emphasised that before allowing private universities to offer PhD programs, we should first focus on improving the academic environment and culture in the country.