NEWS reports said President of Rajshahi City Awami League and former city mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton has slammed the Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Rajshahi University (RU) for not appointing his party men to various posts of the varsity administration. In unsavoury language at a meeting of Chhatra League, the student front of ruling party Awami League, he reminded the VC and Pro-VC on Wednesday that they were appointed to their jobs not for their qualification but because of the fact that they were party men doing Awami League politics. What he said is that party men should appoint party men to whatever posts the party would like irrespective of the qualification. Moreover, his prediction that the VC and Pro-VC can be ousted any time if the local party so desire shows the arrogance of power of the ruling party men.
His statement has not only made clear how appointment to the post of VC, Pro-VCs and teachers of public varsities take place but also that the ruling party men now want to dictate every business of public varsities like admission, appointment to staff and awarding supply and building contacts. He wanted to know what happened with the list of 150 to 200 pro-liberation boys the party had handed over for appointment.
The local Awami League leaders made the case for appointment of party men to various posts at the University saying Chhatra Shibirmen injured many of them and as pro-liberation force they should be appointed on the varsity administration. Previous administration has also made appointment on party basis. It is not expected that the Vice-Chancellor do otherwise. He himself was appointed although he did not deserve to be appointed, as the Awami League leader claims, to be the head of the University. So he is expected to be loyal to party dictates. This politicisation has been going on under both Awami League and BNP.
Our academicians have been tolerating such horrid example of aversion to appoint competent persons in various important posts including teachers. Protest against it should have come long ago from within the university. But that has not happened. All our bravery has been proved wrong. Our university teachers are happy with politicisation and the benefit they have been enjoying for their party loyalty. Our public universities are not teaching character but only subservience.
