Tension at Jahangirnagar University, Again VC election step faces opposition,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Despite opposition by a section of teachers, the Jahangirnagar University authorities are firm on holding a special senate session on July 20 to elect a three-member panel of vice chancellor.

“I am determined to hold the election on schedule and I believe the ongoing crisis can be resolved through restoring democratic process,” said JU VC Prof Anwar Hossain while exchanging views with journalists on the campus yesterday.

Prof Anwar said the July 20 event is crucial because there has been no election to the highest post of the university for the last eight years.

The university may plunge into further crisis if unelected persons remain in the top administrative positions, he added.

A well-known Dhaka University teacher belonging to pro-Awami League Blue panel, Anwar Hossain was appointed JU VC on May 20 following teacher-student agitations that forced the former VC Shariff Enamul Kabir to quit.

He is still the president of DU Teachers Association (DUTA).

Anwar also noted there has also been no election to the VC post at Dhaka University for over the last three years, a clear violation of the 1973 ordinance.

Though appointed for four years, Prof Anwar has chosen to go for election to the post as per the university act only to restore democratic process as well as bring an end of longstanding crises, he said.

The Jahangirnagar University Act, 1973 says “The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Chancellor for a period of four years from a panel of three persons to be nominated by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Chancellor, and shall be eligible for re-appointment for a further period of four years.”

In reply to a question, Prof Anwar said, “This is not important whether I will be candidate for the VC post or not. But I will not withdraw if anyone proposes my name as a VC candidate at the special senate session on July 20.”

On another question, he termed illogical a section of teachers' opposing the election.

Under the banner of Sammilito Shikkhak Parishad, a group of teachers continued laying siege to the administrative building for the fourth straight day yesterday to press for senate election before the VC panel polls.

“The July 20 election will be held at any cost and it would not be deferred under any circumstances,” the VC said and urged the teachers to call off agitation for the sake of the university.

Asked why he has not called the senate election first, Prof Anwar said some complexities have arisen as no elections of registered graduate representatives have taken place over the past 14 years following a court injunction. Also, the Jahangirnagar University Central Students Union (Jucsu) has been stalled for years.

Meanwhile, a statement of Sammilito Shikkhak Parishad yesterday said tenures of 55 out of 92 senate members have already expired and thus the senate polls have become essential.

The VC ignoring all the “logical” demands announced the VC panel election date, it added.

“The move of the VC to hurriedly hold the VC election bypassing the senate election is apparently a deep rooted conspiracy to cover up the irregularities and corruption of immediate past VC and his associates as well as to re-establish them in power.”

Teachers wait with resignation letter Gives time till Sunday to end Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology crisis; education boss says decision after discussion with president, Prime Minister,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The Buet teachers agitating for the removal of the vice-chancellor and his deputy have threatened to resign en masse if the demand is not met by Sunday.

They issued the ultimatum at a press briefing last night, also announcing that from today they will stage two-hour sit-in at the Buet administrative building from 11:00am every day till Saturday.

"We have decided to go for mass resignation if nothing happens by Sunday to meet our demand to get the VC and pro-VC relieved of their posts," Prof Mujibur Rahman, president of Buet Teachers Association,

The decision came hours after Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid held a meeting with Buet's "recently resigned" deans and department heads, former VCs and students at the ministry's conference room.

Participants of the two-and-a-half-hour meeting suggested the government arrange an "honourable exit" of the VC and pro-VC, saying it was not possible to solve the ongoing crisis keeping the two in position.

In response, Nahid said he would convey the suggestions to the chancellor and the prime minister as soon as possible and seek their directives on the issue.

"We will take a decision after discussions with all concerned and informing the chancellor and the prime minister about the meeting. We will definitely consider their opinions [of the meeting attendees] while taking decision," he told reporters.

Ex-Buet VCs Abdul Matin Patowari, MH Khan and Iqbal Mahmud, eminent citizens like Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury and Mir Mobassher Ali, Bangladesh Institute of Engineers President Nurul Huda, architect Rabiul Hossain and Abul Kashem also attended the meeting.

State Minister for Science and ICT Yeafes Osman, Chairman of University Grants Commission Prof AK Azad Chowdhury, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education Ministry Rashed Khan Menon and Education Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury were also present.

At the meeting, most of the attendees said the VC and his deputy have no moral right to stay in their positions anymore since he lost trust of a majority of his colleagues, some teachers told, wishing anonymity.

They told the minister that some irregularities have taken place at the university with the direct involvement of the VC.

At the discussion, an attendee quoted a Buet teacher as saying, "Grades of two students have been changed in his [VC's] direction."

One of the former VCs informed the minister that he would have resigned if such situation had arisen.

Some of the former students said there was no necessity of more investigation into the situation while a teacher suggested posting the duo to equivalent positions in other places.

"We all at the meeting have suggested ensuring an honourable exit of the vice-chancellor and pro-VC," Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury told.

The education minister said they held the meeting for opinions and suggestions of senior teachers and former students, not to take any decision.

"We heard and recorded statements of former vice-chancellors, eminent citizens and deans and departmental heads of the university about what they think is necessary to resolve the crisis. They have given their opinions on different issues," the minister added.

"We will try to find a peaceful and fair solution to the crisis."

He requested the agitating teachers and students to call of the movement, saying that a fair solution is possible through discussion.

Teachers, students and staff of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology on Wednesday started indefinite sit-in at the administrative building to press home their 16-point demand that include the resignation of the vice-chancellor and pro-VC.

The heads of all faculties, institutes and departments of Buet resigned en masse on the first day of the sit-in.

The movement, spearheaded by the teachers association, began after the university authorities shut the institution for 44-day closure in advance for Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.

Yesterday, the agitators observed a token hunger strike for two hours from 11:00am on the campus to press home their demands.

Meanwhile, a section of teachers, students and employees yesterday formed a human chain in front of Buet cafeteria where the urged the prime minister and chancellor to resume academic activities of the university.

Under the banner of Buet Teachers-Students-Officials-Employees Oikkya Forum, they also demanded a judicial committee probe into the allegation raised by the teachers association.

BCL Infighting Bullet-hit Rajshahi University student dies,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The BCL leader, who was shot during a gunfight between two BCL factions at Rajshahi University early yesterday, succumbed to his wounds in a Dhaka hospital nearly 12 hours after the incident.

The body of Abdullah Al Hasan Sohel, joint convener of BCL Sher-e-Bangla Hall unit, was sent to his village home in Rangpur after a post mortem at Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue.

His father Abdus Salam Sarkar is a madrasa teacher and also Kaunia upazila ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Meanwhile, the university authorities formed a committee to probe the incident.

Sohel, a second year student of Sociology Department at RU, was the eldest among five brothers and sisters.

The gunfight broke out at about 12:15am following an altercation between BCL RU unit organising secretary Tauhid Al Tuhin and BCL vice president Akhteruzzaman Takim.

Tuhin is a follower of BCL RU unit president Ahmed Ali while Takim is a supporter of its general secretary Abu Hossain Bipu. The two got into an altercation over verbal abuse of Ahmed by Bipu's supporters.

Following the clash, law enforcers along with university officials raided Suhrawardy and Madar Baksh halls till 5:00am but found nothing, reports our RU correspondent.

Ahmed said the clash stemmed from tension between his and Bipu's followers after some of Bipu's supporters joined his group a few days back.

Bipu said the incident happened because of a misunderstanding between BCL leaders and activists.

He said they had recommended that the central committee suspend its eight leaders and activists, who were allegedly involved in the gunfight.

In the evening, the university syndicate in an emergency meeting formed a five-member committee to probe the incident. The committee headed by Prof Golam Kabir was asked to submit report within a week.

Prime Minister was advised for negotiations Navy chief tells court on BDR mutiny,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

The chiefs of the three forces had suggested the prime minister to negotiate with the rebels rather than going for military action during the February 25-26 BDR mutiny in 2009.

In his deposition, Vice Admiral of Bangladesh Navy Zahir Uddin Ahmed yesterday told this to the special court dealing with the BDR mutiny case.

The Navy chief was the first high-profile witness to give deposition before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court set up temporarily at Bakshibazar in the capital.

He said he had come to know about the mutiny through the intelligence director around 10:00am on February 25, 2009. He went to premier's official residence Jamuna around 1:00pm responding to a call from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The army and air force chiefs were also there.

In a meeting with the defence chiefs around 2:30pm, the PM said she had two options before her, negotiation and military action. Since the situation inside Pilkhana, the BDR (later renamed as Border Guard Bangladesh) headquarters, was not clear, military action was not possible.

“We opined that negotiation was the right choice. At the same time, we suggested military action to quell the mutiny with an iron fist,” Zahir Uddin told the court.

But the premier came back a little after the meeting had ended. She informed that a team of 12 to 14 rebel BDR members were coming to Jamuna for negotiation, he said, adding that they waited at Jamuna for the rebel BDR delegation to arrive.

Zahir Uddin said, “…We, the three defence chiefs, joined the meeting [between the PM and the rebel BDR members] around half an hour later. Pointing at us the PM told them [rebels] that if they did not surrender the forces would go for action. Later, assured of PM's pledge to general amnesty, the rebel border guards agreed to surrender and went back to Pilkhana.”

He also said the prime minister had pledged general amnesty to the mutineers without knowing that many officers had been killed in Pilkhana. The BDR delegation did not say anything about the killing despite repeated queries by the premier, said the Navy chief.

“They demanded that the PM declare general amnesty and pass it in parliament. The honourable PM asked about the officers at BDR headquarters. They said the officers were alright. The honourable prime minister then asked them to surrender, release the officers and their families and call to Pilkhana to ask the rebels to surrender arms,” said Zahir Uddin.

“But later we came to know that 74 people, including 57 army officers, were killed in Pilkhana,” added Zahir Uddin.

During cross-examination defence lawyers asked the Navy chief whether the BDR team was brought by Awami League leader Fazle Noor Taposh, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Jahangir Kabir Nanak and lawmaker Mirza Azam to PMO, Zahir Uddin said he saw them there.

Ferry Irregularities Transport strike called off Khulna division,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Transport owners and workers of 10 districts of Khulna division called off their indefinite strike last night following a meeting on their demands with Rajbari deputy commissioner.

The decision came from the meeting between the transport owners and workers and the DC of Rajbari, Shahana Bari, at his office in the afternoon.

Inter-district Motor Owners and Workers' Coordination Parishad enforced the strike on Sunday to press home their six-point demand including an end to extortion, traffic jam and harassment of passengers and motor workers at Daulatdia ferry terminal.

The strike was initially called in Khulna, Jessore, Narail, Magura, Jhenidah, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Kushtia, Bagerhat and Satkhira of Khulna division.

Azizul Alam Mintu, president of Bangladesh Paribahan Sangstha Sramic Samity, confirmed that the strike had been called off on the third day of their protest.

"We have withdrawn the indefinite transport strike after a successful meeting with the Rajbari administration, police and other government officials at Rajbari DC office in the evening," said Mintu, adding that Rajbari district administration had assured them of meeting their six-point demand.

He added that the administration had asked for three days to end extortion and ease traffic jam at Daulatdia ferry ghat.

"We will decide on our next course of action if out demands are not met within the three-day time frame," Mintu said.

Deputy Commissioner of Rajbari Syeda Shahana Bari, Superintendent of Rajbari Police Rezaul Haque, Abdur Rahim Dudu, joint-convener of Khulna Divisional Transport Owners and Workers Co-ordination Committee, Pabitra Kaputria, president of Inter-district Bus Syndicate were present in the meeting.

Road communication in 21 districts between the capital and the south-western region remained snapped following the strike. However, transportation between the other regions that do not need to use Daulatdia ferry ghat remained normal.