BSMRSTU: VC finally steps down

Prof Khondoker Md Nasiruddin finally resigned as the vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU) in Gopalganj yesterday, a day after an UGC probe found evidence of irregularities and corruption against him.

The VC stepped down amid student protests on the campus since September 18 for his removal from the post.

“We have received his [Nasiruddin’s] resignation letter. We will take steps accordingly,” Education Minister Dipu Moni told reporters yesterday. 

She said the ministry also received the probe report from the UGC.  

Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Sohorab Hossain said the resignation letter would be forwarded to the office of President Abdul Hamid, who is also the chancellor of the university, for the next course of action.

After the probe committee said it found evidence against the VC, he left his residence on the university campus under police protection around 9:00pm on Sunday.

Around 3:45pm yesterday, Nasiruddin was seen at the capital’s International Mother Language Institute where the education minister was holding a meeting with a group of public university teachers.  

Later, Dipu Moni held another meeting with the vice chancellors of all public universities at the same venue.  

Meanwhile, the agitating students burst into jubilation after they heard about the VC’s resignation. They, however, decided to continue their agitation until an “official declaration of the resignation” was made.  

“We came to know through news reports that our VC has resigned. We are very happy, but we are yet to get any official notice. We will go on with our movement until we get that,” said Ashraful Alam Shahin, a third-year physics student. 

The UGC probe committee submitted the report to the ministry on Sunday.  

In the report, the committee recommended taking legal action against Nasiruddin for his involvement in irregularities and corruption in student admission and appointment of teachers as well as in various procurements, a member of the probe body told The Daily Star. 

The UGC had formed the committee on September 23 at the behest of the education ministry amid student protests.  

The UGC asked the committee to probe the allegations of “tyrannical behaviour, irregularities, corruption and moral turpitude” against Nasiruddin. 

“During our probe, we found that the VC was running the university at will,” said the probe committee member seeking anonymity. 

Despite repeated attempts, this newspaper could not contact Prof Nasiruddin for his comments. 

In February 2015. Nasiruddin was appointed the VC of the BSMRSTU, which now has some 8,000 students.

The demonstrating students alleged that he was involved in corruption in recruitment of some teachers and employees.

Allegations were raised over the recruitment of Khondoker Mahmud Parvez, now chairman of the international relations department, and appointment of Akkas Ali, former chairman of computer science and engineering (CSE) department.

Parvez, also nephew of the VC, had secured second class at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This means he didn’t qualify to be a teacher at the university as per the job advertisement published by the BSMRSTU authorities.

He joined the university as a section officer in 2016. He was later appointed as a lecturer of international relations department and was promoted to the post of assistant professor. He went on to become the chairman of the department last year. 

In February 2016, though a job circular stated that the post of a lecturer required master’s degree, Akkas was taken in, and he completed his master’s from BSMRSTU after months of his joining. 

Both Parvez and Akkas denied the allegations against them. 

The agitating students alleged Nasiruddin was also involved in corruption in development projects including construction of a Shaheed Minar and Bangabandhu’s mural on the campus.

The also brought allegations of sexual harassment against him, and claimed he had some students admitted to different departments in exchange for money.

They alleged that the university authorities suspended students and served show-cause notices to those teachers who spoke against the VC and his men. 

The students launched the demonstrations on September 18, protesting the suspension of Fatema Tuz Zinia, a student of the law department and also university reporter of The Daily Sun, over a Facebook post.

In the wake of protest and huge criticism on social media, the university authorities withdrew the suspension order.

On September 21 morning, the authorities suddenly declared a 10-day vacation ahead of Durga Puja and asked the students to vacate dormitories by 10:00am.

But the protests raged on. 

The students alleged that goons, hired by the VC, attacked them the same day, leaving at least 20 injured.