Anwar given JU reins New VC puts peaceful campus on top of his do-list; appointment comes soon after his controversial predecessor resigns

BANGLADESH NEWS

Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir has finally stepped down as vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, ending months-long standoff and unrest on the campus.

Soon after his resignation, President Zillur Rahman appointed Prof Anwar Hossain, a professor of biochemistry at Dhaka University, as the new vice-chancellor of JU.

JU teachers and students, who had been demanding Prof Shariff's resignation over his alleged involvement in campus violence and irregularities in appointment of teachers, termed his stepping down "a victory of good over evil".

Bangabhaban sources told  that Prof Shariff tendered his resignation to the president, also chancellor of JU, after a brief meeting at the Bangabhaban yesterday afternoon.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid and University Grants Commission Chairman Prof AK Azad

Chowdhury were also present at the meeting where the president expressed his desire for appointing Prof Anwar Hossain as JU vice-chancellor and asked Nahid to take steps to that end, the sources added.

Contacted, Prof Anwar, also president of Dhaka University Teachers Association, told this correspondent his priority was to end the deadlock at the university and bring a peaceful atmosphere on the campus.

“I think my new job is very important. My challenge is to bring peaceful academic atmosphere in the university,” he added.

On the impasse, Prof Anwar said he would try to solve the mater in consultation with teachers, students and the other people involved with the university.

Asked about the alleged disturbance by a section of Chhatra League leaders on the campus, he said, “I will evaluate the situation impartially and without considering anyone's political affiliation.”

Meanwhile, agitating students and teachers thanked the prime minister and the president for their initiative to end the crisis in JU by "forcing" Prof Shariff to go.

Talking to , Prof Nasim Akhtar Hossain, convener of Shikkhak Samaj of JU, welcomed the appointment of Anwar Hossain as new VC of JU.

“We hope the stalemate at the university will now be over," she said.

Since his "political" appointment as VC in February 2009, Prof Shariff earned widespread criticism for his alleged involvement in various anomalies in teaches' recruitment, patronising a group of Chhatra League leaders to put pressure on his dissidents.

Apart from chopping down trees indiscriminately on the campus in the last three years, teachers and students allege, Prof Shariff leased out the university lakes.

Teachers and students started demanding his ouster after the murder of Zubair Ahmed, a student of English department, by some BCL activists on Jan 9.

It is alleged those involved in the murder received Prof Shariff's blessings on many occasions.

On 10 March, a large number of teachers and students of the university joined in to gear up the movement for his ouster.

Under the banner of Shikkhak Samaj, agitating teachers enforced strike in the university while the students launched a fast-unto-death on April 24 demanding removal of Prof Shariff.

Agitated teachers on May 4 postponed their demonstration on assurance from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that she would look into the matter.

On Many 3, Hasina separately met the pro-VC and anti-VC factions at her Gono Bhaban residence in efforts to end the crisis.