After the fall of the Awami League government, the top officials of the public universities started resigning. Someone resigned voluntarily. Someone resigned in the face of students’ demands. As a result these top posts are vacant since then. However, the Ministry of Education has ordered the senior professor to perform the duties to solve the apprehension about the salary and allowances as the top post is vacant. Guidelines have also been given on how senior professors will be determined.
Universities face administrative problems as these three important posts of Vice-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer are vacant. Not only the top posts, but the proctors and directors of various departments outside these posts have resigned. As a result, all activities of the universities have come to a standstill. There was no proper teaching anywhere. There is no discipline.
However, senior professors have been asked to perform duties in universities that do not have Vice-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer to solve emergency problems. In a letter of the Ministry of Education sent to the universities last Thursday, it is said that due to resignations and absences, there are many problems in the administrative and financial activities of the universities. Until a regular vice-chancellor is appointed, the Dean’s Council of the university, in consultation with the departmental chairmen, has been instructed to take measures to temporarily carry out emergency administrative and financial duties by giving a senior professor.
Last week, among the 39 universities in the country, vice-chancellors and vice-chancellors were appointed in Dhaka University. On the same day, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University also appointed a vice-chancellor. The next day, the Vice-Chancellor was appointed to the National University. In Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), a person nominated from the Deans has been given the responsibility of Vice-Chancellor.
Sources concerned say that the list of Grade-1 and Grade-2 teachers has already been collected from the Ministry of Education. The top posts will be filled based on this list. Officials of the Ministry of Education say that the government wants to make appointments to the top posts after careful scrutiny. This is why it is taking time.
Recently Education Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud said in a press conference, ‘More than 40 public universities are without guardians. Changes should be brought as soon as possible in these universities. I consider it an opportunity. We want these universities to have truly educated and qualified people. They should have educational and administrative qualifications. We have been underestimated in this place for so long.’
However, since the post of vice-chancellor is vacant, the teachers are also canvassing through various means. He is sending his biodata to the officials of the ministry through various means.
Teachers say that various universities have separate Awami League and BNP-backed teachers’ organizations. However, teachers supported by Awami League have morally lost the qualification to be at the top of the universities.
As the reason they say, Nobel laureate Dr. 160 prominent people from around the world issued a statement calling for the case against Muhammad Yunus to be suspended. This statement was countered by the teachers of the Awami League-supported organization of the public university. They also signed there.
Ordinary teachers think that the Nobel laureate. Muhammad Yunus is now the chief adviser to the interim government. As a result, the teachers who signed the statement supported by Awami League, are now not running for the posts of Vice-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer due to moral reasons. They moved away by themselves. As a result, ordinary and other party-backed teachers made way to become Vice-Chancellors, Vice-Chancellors and Treasurers.
Sources said there was tension between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami-backed teachers over the appointment of the vice-chancellor. However, there was no public dispute about this.
Rafiqul Islam, Senior Professor of Plant Pathology Department of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, said, ‘I believe that the top positions will be filled only by looking at honesty and merit. If vice-chancellors, vice-chancellors and treasurers are appointed in this way, both the university and education will run well.’
At present 55 autonomous and government universities are functioning in the country. After the fall of the Awami League government, 27 vice-chancellors, 12 vice-chancellors and seven treasurers resigned. According to University Grants Commission sources, the number of public universities in the country is 55. Out of this, currently 39 universities do not have a vice-chancellor.
Source: Ittefaq