In a letter, issued on Tuesday and sent to the university vice-chancellor, the ministry said that the private university had purchased these vehicles at the cost of Tk 26.95 crore instead of using the money for the development of these sectors.

The letter, signed by the Secondary and Higher Education Division deputy secretary Md Farhad Hossain, said according to the Private University Act, every private university will have a general fund which will only be used for necessary expenditure of the university.

NSU, the letter continued, purchased 12 vehicles, including 10 luxurious ones, between January 2019 and January 2022 instead of necessary expenditure for the development of education and research sectors.

These purchases were not linked to the development of education and research sectors, it also said.

As per the law, the government can give necessary orders to the private universities for ensuring financial and administrative transparency and discipline and the development of standard of education, it said.

As per the letter, NSU is requested to sell the 10 luxurious vehicles through open tenders and then submit the money to the university general fund with an aim to use it for the development of education and research.

The university was also asked to inform the SHED and the University Grants Commission of the matter on an urgent basis.

NSU vice-chancellor professor Atiqul Islam could not be reached over phone for his comment.