Court Correspondent :
The High Court yesterday stayed the process for holding a special general meeting of Dhaka University (DU) senate which was scheduled to be held on July 29 for electing a three-member panel for appointing the next Vice Chancellor.
Considering a writ petition, the court directed the government and the DU authorities to take measures for constituting a full-fledged senate under Section 20(1) of the Dhaka University Order 1973. At the same time, the court issued a rule asking the authorities to explain why the move to hold senate special general meeting without forming the full-fledged body should not be declared illegal.
DU Vice Chancellor, two Pro-Vice Chancellors, Registrar and Secretary to the Education Ministry have been made respondents to the order and rule. Besides, the full-fledged senate has to be formed through nomination and election.
Meanwhile, the concerned Deputy Attorney General Amatul said that around 50 posts of Senate Members in the 105-member senate of the university are at present lying vacant.
The HC bench of Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Md Faruque delivered the order and issued rule hearing a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the notice issued by the DU Registrar convening the special general meeting of senate on July 29.
Sixteen teachers and registered graduates of DU have filed the writ petition with the High Court saying that now there is no full-fledged senate, said writ petitioners’ counsel Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan.
The tenure of VC Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique will end on August 24. As per the Dhaka University Order 1973, the VC shall be appointed by the Chancellor for a period of four years from a panel of three teachers. He shall be nominated by the university senate, and be eligible for re-appointment for a second term.
Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud appeared for the petitioners, while AFM Mesbahuddin represented Dhaka University.
