The government has ordered shutdown of privately run Darul Ihsan University which has been divided into several groups.

Besides, all private universities have been asked to shut down illegal branch campuses.

The education ministry on Monday issued the order in line with a High Court verdict, said an official handout yesterday.

Sources say Darul Ihsan University has been ordered to shut down in line with a High Court order issued on April 13 that declared illegal its academic activities.

After hearing 13 writ petitions filed by a group of people and students claiming ownership of DIU at different times, the HC in April also said the DIU authorities cannot run it as an academic institution for not complying with the laws.

The copy of the HC order reached the education ministry on Monday, said a source, adding, soon after getting the copy, the ministry ordered the shutdown.

Earlier in October 2010, the government launched a judicial investigation headed by Justice Kazi Ebadul Haque to investigate allegations of "certificate trade", ownership dispute and other irregularities.

The investigation committee submitted the report to the education ministry in March 2013 and recommended shutdown of the university.

In September 2014, the University Grants Commission (UGC) alerted students and guardians about admission into DIU and 48 outer campuses of 12 other private universities.

But the university continued academic activities by getting an HC order staying the government action.

Now the ministry has announced closure of the university after the HC issued the verdict in favour of the government, an official of the ministry said.

Currently, there are 95 private universities in Bangladesh. Of them, 85 are running academic activities and have more than 4.63 lakh students.