Senate nominates incumbent VC

Dhaka University senate members yesterday nominated a three-member panel for the chancellor to appoint one of them as the university’s next vice-chancellor. BNP-Jamaat-backed White Panel teachers boycotted the nomination.

The special session unanimously nominated incumbent Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, Pro-VC (administration) Prof Muhammad Samad and Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) President Prof ASM Maksud Kamal, said a press release of the university.

The names were proposed by the meeting convener Prof Shibli Rubayat-Ul Islam and supported by another senate member Bahalul Majnun Chunnu.

Ninety-three members out of 105 attended the session.

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.

Meanwhile, the pro-BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami White Panel boycotted the meeting citing three reasons.

“The existing senate is questionable. Firstly, there were three panels including two submitted by Blue Panel teachers, and the authorities unfairly dropped one of them. During the registered graduate election, victory was snatched from our panel at different centres across the country.”

“Thirdly, Ducsu election was held and there are questions over its results,” Prof ABM Obaidul Islam, convener of the White Panel, told the reporters.

VC-panel election was held on July 29, 2017 which nominated a three-member panel including the then VC Prof Arefin Siddique.

Following a writ petition filed with the High Court by 16 teachers and registered DU graduates, challenging legality of the special meeting, the Supreme Court on August 4, 2017 stayed the functions of the three-member panel.

On September 4, 2017, Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, the then pro-VC, was made vice-chancellor, replacing Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique at the end of his tenure.

The High Court on October 10, 2017, declared illegal the three-member panel elected by the Dhaka University senate on July 29, and directed DU authorities to finish the process for constituting a full-fledged senate in six months to elect the panel for appointing its new vice-chancellor.