JU VC should resign or be sacked: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday demanded removal of Jahangirnagar University (JU) Vice Chancellor Farzana Islam for reportedly bribing Chhatra League leaders.

“Why only remove the two top leaders of Chhatra League? What will happen to the [JU] vice chancellor? The VC should resign immediately or she should be sacked,” Fakhrul said while speaking at a human chain in the capital.

“The offence of demanding bribe has been labelled as ‘asking for fair share’. This means, BCL men demanded fair share and the VC has given Tk 1 crore as bribe,” the BNP leader said.

Referring to the removal of two top BCL leaders, Fakhrul said, “Corruption has engulfed every sector and institution due to absence of accountability of the government.”

Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, an associate body of BNP, organised the human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding immediate release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

BCL President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and General Secretary Golam Rabbani were removed from their posts on Saturday amidst widespread allegations of misconduct. They reportedly demanded “4 to 6 percent” cuts from a Tk 1,445-crore project on JU campus from its VC Prof Farzana Islam.

Meanwhile, speakers at a discussion said that such removal is only an eyewash.

They were speaking at a discussion on ‘International day of democracy and us’ organised by Nagorik Oikya at Bangladesh Shishu Kalyan Parishad auditorium in the capital.

Speaking there, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said Awami League has been following the ideology of fascism since the formation of Baksal and they even put Kahleda Zia in jail, ignoring democratic values.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the convenor of Nagorik Oikya, said Sheikh Hasina claims she has zero tolerance for corruption and that is the reason why two top BCL leaders were removed. However, she is yet to remove many corrupt leaders from her party, he added.

“She herself should resign for becoming prime minister through vote rigging in the last election,” Manna said.

Zonayed Saki, chief coordinator of Ganasamhati Andolon, blamed failure of the masses to initiate a movement for “autocratic rule” by the incumbent government.