Our Correspondent :
Defying instructions of the education ministry, former Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor, M Abdus Sobhan, appointed 141 persons in different posts, including teachers, on his last day in office on Thursday. Although there are relatives of teachers among the recruits, a large portion of them are former and existing leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League.
The number of Chhatra League members among the new recruits is 43, said people affiliated with the student wing of the ruling Awami League.
Despite getting so many posts through underhand means, they are still not satisfied. They claimed that the former vice-chancellor has used them to benefit others. They have been appointed to posts lower in comparison to their educational qualifications. After this incident on Thursday, the education ministry on the same day said that there is no scope of validating this recruitment made by the former vice-chancellor on his last working day. The ministry also said a probe committee would be formed to bring the persons involved in the illegal recruitment and discrepancies to book.
On the last working day of his second term as vice-chancellor, M Abdus Sobhan appointed nine teachers, 23 officers, 85 junior assistants and 24 office assistants on ad hoc basis. Their appointment letter and the recruitment order was dated 5 May. These appointments even sparked clashes among the teachers, officials and Chhatra League activists of the university.
There had been allegations of irregularities against Abdus Sobhan since long. Added to this is his latest activity on the last working day.
Earlier, Abdus Sobhan appointed his own daughter and son-in-law as teachers, defying the recruitment policy. The University Grant Commission (UGC) also found evidence of his involvement in discrepancies during investigating the allegations against him on government instruction.
According to the recruitment lists and Chhatra League activists, 43 among the 141 newly appointed are present and former activists of university Chhatra League unit and Chhatra League and Jubo League units in nearby areas.
Abdus Sobhan appointed many of the former and present members of university Chhatra League unit. Despite this, there is talk on the university campus that they have not been appointed to any post suitable to their educational qualification.
Several Chhatra League leaders believe that Abdus Sobhan has used them as scapegoats to appoint others. There are several BNP-Jamaat affiliated people among the new recruits, they claimed.
Former student of the agronomy and agriculture Extension department and current vice-president of university Chhatra League, Faruque Hossain, has been appointed as a senior assistant.
However, he claims that he has the eligibility to be a teacher of the university. He said, “I want to thank the vice-chancellor as he appointed us. However, he did not evaluate the members of Chhatra League properly.”
