S M Mizanur Rahman with Rabiul Islam :
Rajshahi University (RU) administration is on the verge of collapse following the assault on its Vice-Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin and humiliation of score of other senior teachers by local Awami League lawmaker and city party leaders at the VC’s office on Thursday.
The varsity authorities are under threats from powerful local ruling party
men and the failure of the government to effectively stand by the VC is making their case for withstanding the pressure more desperate.
The Education Secretary told The New Nation yesterday that RU is an autonomous body governed by its Ordinance and the government has hardly anything to intervene. He has however assured cooperation in whatever way possible.
Chairman of the University Grants Commission has also sidelined the incident talking to The New Nation saying he would not comment on the matter thus virtually leaving the RU authorities to handle the situation alone through the threats.
Meanwhile hundreds of teachers and students of Rajshahi University on Friday staged an angry protest on the campus over the assault of Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin by Awami League lawmaker and local leaders.
They demanded exemplary punishment of the local AL lawmaker Omar Faruque Chowdhury and City AL general secretary Dablu Sarker.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellors of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar Universities Prof. A A M S Arefin Siddique and Prof. Farzana Islam respectively strongly condemned the incident terming it a ‘barbaric’ one.
Cont from page 1
The VCs also demanded immediate punishment of those who were involved in assaulting the RU Vice-Chancellor.
However, when contacted University Grants Commission Chairman and former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abul Kalam Azad Chowdhury said, “I don’t want to make comment on the issue.”
When contacted Education Secretary Md. Nazrul Islam Khan said he assured the RU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin, of all sorts of cooperation.
“I phoned him (Muhammad Mizanuddin) and extended my all out cooperation to him regarding the issue,” he told The New Nation on Friday.
Terming the incident as shameful, he said, “As the public university is an autonomous body the Education Ministry does not have authority to do something.”
“Yet, the Education Ministry will take step to ensure congenial atmosphere on the University campus,” he added.
Talking to The New Nation Prof Farzana Islam said she feels insecure as the campus is dominated by a section of bad elements.
“It is very unfortunate for all of us as when we have to listen that a public university Vice-Chancellor has been assaulted. We feel insecure all the time on the campus,” she said.
She added when a teacher holds a prestigious post like Vice-Chancellor he or she has to work round the clock.
“But if the lawmaker and political party leader assaults the Vice-Chancellor he also assaults the Chancellor,” Prof. Farzana said, demanding immediate legal action against the lawmaker and the political party leader.
On Thursday, AL Rajshahi City GS Dablu Sarker along with his 30 other aides barged into the University VC’s office and assaulted him demanding the appointments in RU administration where people of their choosing be appointed.
Dablu and his aides also repeated their violent behaviour with some senior professors who were present at VC’s office then.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Omar Faruque MP who was also a State Minister for a short time threatened the RU VC and also verbally assaulted him at his office as the university authority imposed fine Tk 25 lakh on his college (Shah Makhdum Medical College) for admitting students before academic approval of RU according to the University rules.
Following the incident, protests geared up on campus by the university teachers and students.
Talking to the New Nation, Prof Biswajit Chanda, Dean of Law Faculty, said as a member of the university, I felt shame after such violent incident in an autonomous institution.
He also demanded the punishment of the AL leaders who were involved with the incident.
Rajshahi University Teachers Association (RUTA), in an emergency meeting on Thursday evening, condemned the incident.
The university dean’s committee also protested the incident terming it as unprecedented in an autonomous institution.
They will submit a memorandum to the Chancellor of the University, the Prime Minister of the country, and the Ministry of Education today (Saturday), Prof Biswajit Chanda confirmed.
However, soon after the incident on Thursday leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League, brought out a procession on the campus in favour of the lawmaker and the local AL leader, and demanded resignation of the Vice-Chancellor.
On the other hand, leaders and activists of Biplobi Chhatra Moitri also protested the incident at a press conference yesterday.
They urged the countrymen to take the AL leaders who assaulted the VC under to trial to uphold the autonomous character of the university.
“We will launch tougher movement if the proper steps are not taken against the
AL leaders,” Pradeep Mardy, Chhatra Moitri RU unit president said.
They also sought immediate removal of Omar Faruque from Parliament for committing such heinous acts.
Progressive Students’ Alliance, a platform of four left leaning students’ body protested the incident at a rally on the campus and demanded proper investigation in the incident.
Leaders and activists of Chhatra Federation, RU unit, also demanded proper investigation and exemplary punishment to AL leaders who assaulted VC.
Rajshahi University (RU) administration is on the verge of collapse following the assault on its Vice-Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin and humiliation of score of other senior teachers by local Awami League lawmaker and city party leaders at the VC’s office on Thursday.
The varsity authorities are under threats from powerful local ruling party
men and the failure of the government to effectively stand by the VC is making their case for withstanding the pressure more desperate.
The Education Secretary told The New Nation yesterday that RU is an autonomous body governed by its Ordinance and the government has hardly anything to intervene. He has however assured cooperation in whatever way possible.
Chairman of the University Grants Commission has also sidelined the incident talking to The New Nation saying he would not comment on the matter thus virtually leaving the RU authorities to handle the situation alone through the threats.
Meanwhile hundreds of teachers and students of Rajshahi University on Friday staged an angry protest on the campus over the assault of Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin by Awami League lawmaker and local leaders.
They demanded exemplary punishment of the local AL lawmaker Omar Faruque Chowdhury and City AL general secretary Dablu Sarker.
Meanwhile, Vice-Chancellors of Dhaka and Jahangirnagar Universities Prof. A A M S Arefin Siddique and Prof. Farzana Islam respectively strongly condemned the incident terming it a ‘barbaric’ one.
Cont from page 1
The VCs also demanded immediate punishment of those who were involved in assaulting the RU Vice-Chancellor.
However, when contacted University Grants Commission Chairman and former Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Abul Kalam Azad Chowdhury said, “I don’t want to make comment on the issue.”
When contacted Education Secretary Md. Nazrul Islam Khan said he assured the RU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Muhammad Mizanuddin, of all sorts of cooperation.
“I phoned him (Muhammad Mizanuddin) and extended my all out cooperation to him regarding the issue,” he told The New Nation on Friday.
Terming the incident as shameful, he said, “As the public university is an autonomous body the Education Ministry does not have authority to do something.”
“Yet, the Education Ministry will take step to ensure congenial atmosphere on the University campus,” he added.
Talking to The New Nation Prof Farzana Islam said she feels insecure as the campus is dominated by a section of bad elements.
“It is very unfortunate for all of us as when we have to listen that a public university Vice-Chancellor has been assaulted. We feel insecure all the time on the campus,” she said.
She added when a teacher holds a prestigious post like Vice-Chancellor he or she has to work round the clock.
“But if the lawmaker and political party leader assaults the Vice-Chancellor he also assaults the Chancellor,” Prof. Farzana said, demanding immediate legal action against the lawmaker and the political party leader.
On Thursday, AL Rajshahi City GS Dablu Sarker along with his 30 other aides barged into the University VC’s office and assaulted him demanding the appointments in RU administration where people of their choosing be appointed.
Dablu and his aides also repeated their violent behaviour with some senior professors who were present at VC’s office then.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Omar Faruque MP who was also a State Minister for a short time threatened the RU VC and also verbally assaulted him at his office as the university authority imposed fine Tk 25 lakh on his college (Shah Makhdum Medical College) for admitting students before academic approval of RU according to the University rules.
Following the incident, protests geared up on campus by the university teachers and students.
Talking to the New Nation, Prof Biswajit Chanda, Dean of Law Faculty, said as a member of the university, I felt shame after such violent incident in an autonomous institution.
He also demanded the punishment of the AL leaders who were involved with the incident.
Rajshahi University Teachers Association (RUTA), in an emergency meeting on Thursday evening, condemned the incident.
The university dean’s committee also protested the incident terming it as unprecedented in an autonomous institution.
They will submit a memorandum to the Chancellor of the University, the Prime Minister of the country, and the Ministry of Education today (Saturday), Prof Biswajit Chanda confirmed.
However, soon after the incident on Thursday leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League, brought out a procession on the campus in favour of the lawmaker and the local AL leader, and demanded resignation of the Vice-Chancellor.
On the other hand, leaders and activists of Biplobi Chhatra Moitri also protested the incident at a press conference yesterday.
They urged the countrymen to take the AL leaders who assaulted the VC under to trial to uphold the autonomous character of the university.
“We will launch tougher movement if the proper steps are not taken against the
AL leaders,” Pradeep Mardy, Chhatra Moitri RU unit president said.
They also sought immediate removal of Omar Faruque from Parliament for committing such heinous acts.
Progressive Students’ Alliance, a platform of four left leaning students’ body protested the incident at a rally on the campus and demanded proper investigation in the incident.
Leaders and activists of Chhatra Federation, RU unit, also demanded proper investigation and exemplary punishment to AL leaders who assaulted VC.
