Leaders of the two organisations said the decision would compel the students to pay their tuition fees at commercial rates to study there.

SCF central committee President Khalekuzzaman Lipon and General Secretary Mosharraf Hossain, in a joint statement, said it is the duty of the government to run the public universities.

"It is a conspiracy of the alliance government for commercialisation of education," they added.

The leaders said students of low and middle income families would not be able to pursue higher education if the government stop subsidies to the public universities.

They called on the students to be united to resist the decision.

PTF central committee Convenor Prof Abidur Reza and Member-Secretary Ashraf Uddin said the decision would make higher education available only for the rich.

They urged the teachers' to resist the move.