Public universities facing shortage of qualified VCs

Farhad Chowdhury: 43 government universities of the country are now without backbone. These universities do not have vice-chancellors. After the change of government, most of them resigned in the face of the demands of the students. Vice-Chancellors, Treasurers, Deans, Proctors and Hall Provosts have left their posts everywhere. As a result, administrative vacuum has been created in the universities. Academic and administrative activities have come to a standstill. However, after remaining vacant for 16 days, Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan of the University’s Development Studies Department was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University on Monday.
According to sources from the Secondary and Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education, the Chancellor has accepted the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor. But the vacant posts are not being filled quickly. Although several names are being worked on, the government is unable to find a suitable person in all aspects.
According to a source in the ministry, certain criteria have been fixed for the appointment of vice-chancellors. First of all, no one who was a beneficiary and supporter of the previous government will be given the post of Vice-Chancellor. Secondly, the person concerned must be an academic scholar. Thirdly, one must have administrative experience and fourthly, one must be broadly ‘acceptable’ to the faculty-students of the concerned university. All in all, the government wants to make uncontroversial people as vice-chancellors. But even if one or two conditions are met, the other may not be. Due to this reason, the appointment of vice-chancellor has to be speeded up.
Sources said the government has decided that vice-chancellors will not be appointed from outside in any university unless it is absolutely necessary.
BUET, Jahangirnagar, Rajshahi and Chittagong universities will appoint vice-chancellors first. Regarding the progress in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor, the Joint Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Department (University-II) Numeri Zaman only said, ‘Work is in progress.’
There are now 55 autonomous and government universities in the country. Of these four are autonomous and 51 are government universities. The students in these universities (including affiliated colleges) are about 44 lakhs.
Mohammad Jaminur Rahman, director of the public university branch of the University Grants Commission, said that at least 44 vice-chancellors had resigned. He does not have the account of the resignation of the vice-chancellor, dean and treasurer.
All resigned under pressure
The resigned vice-chancellors said that most of their students submitted their resignations to save their honor under pressure. The only exception is Khulna University. However, in the meeting with the officials of the ministry last Sunday regarding resignation under pressure, the education advisor. Wahiduddin Mahmud said, “No one can be forced to resign in an educational institution. An administration can collapse if it causes instability by forcing resignations. It will be difficult for teachers, officials and employees to get salaries and allowances. He said, “The kind of relationship that is expected of teachers and students in the classroom should be brought back and no one can be insulted.”
Administrative vacuum
Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jahangirnagar universities running under the 1973 order are fully autonomous. All four university vice-chancellors have resigned. A new vice chancellor has been appointed in Dhaka University after the resignation of Professor ASM Maqsood Kamal. Apart from this, Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar, Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor Professor Md. Abu Taher and Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nurul Alam has resigned. ABM Azizur Rahman, Registrar (Routine Duties) of Jahangirnagar University said, “Almost all activities have stopped due to absence of Vice-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer.”
Jessore Science and Technology University Vice-Chancellor Anwar Hossain, Pabna Science and Technology University Vice-Chancellor Hafiza Khatun, National University Professor Moshiur Rahman, Bangladesh Agricultural University Professor Emdadul Haque Chowdhury, Comilla University Professor AFM Abdul Moin, Bangladesh University of Engineering Professor Satyaprasad Majumder have resigned, Barisal University. Mohammad Badruzzaman Bhuiyan, Gopalganj Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman University of Science and Technology Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. AQM Mahbub and Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Syed Shamsul Alam, Vice Chancellor of Khulna University. Mahmud Hossain, Vice Chancellor Mosammat Hossain Ara and Treasurer Amit Roy Chowdhury.
Along with the Vice-Chancellor, a number of administrative officers and teachers resigned from Jagannath University, Pabna Science and Technology University, Haji Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Shahjalal Science and Technology University, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Khulna Engineering. and University of Technology, Maulana Bhasani University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Islami University, Comilla University, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Sheikh Hasina University, Bangmata Sheikh Fazilatun Necha Mujib University of Science and Technology, Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University and Chittagong Engineering and Technology at the university
Although the vice-chancellors did not resign in Dhaka University, the provosts of some halls resigned. There is no one in the post of registrar. As a result, the official work of the university is being disrupted. There is chaos in the halls of residence as important posts in the proctorial body and hall administration are vacant.
Jahangirnagar University Registrar, Proctorial Body and Provost of some halls resigned.