Dhaka: The United Nations (UN) has expressed its interest to work with the University Grants Commission (UGC) of Bangladesh to prevent sexual harassment in all public and private universities.

Country Representative of UN Women, Christine Hunter, showed the interest when she called on UGC Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan at his office on Tuesday.

Prof Mannan informed Hunter that UGC has formulated a guideline as per the directives of the High Court to prevent sexual harassment in public and private universities. There is a committee to prevent sexual harassment in each university of the country, he added.

He said sexual harassment is not only a problem for Bangladesh but a global one. “Sexual harassment takes place on campus and off campus across the world,” he added.

The UGC chairman said building social awareness is the best way to prevent sexual harassment, said a press release.