Buet plunges into crisis

Teachers, students, and employees of Buet hold a rally in front of its administrative building in Dhaka yesterday demanding resignation of the VC and pro-VC.Photo: STAR

Heads of all faculties, institutes and departments of Buet yesterday resigned en masse expressing no-confidence in the university administration over “irregularities” in promotions and appointments.
They submitted a resignation letter at the VC's office, hours after the teachers began an indefinite sit-in to press home their demands that include the resignations of the vice-chancellor and the pro-vice-chancellor.
The deans of five faculties, directors of three institutes and chairmen of 17 departments of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology signed the letter addressed to the vice-chancellor.
Those who quit their posts, however, still remain in the institution as faculty members and will continue to take part in the ongoing agitation under the banner of Buet Teachers' Association.
The resignations came a day after the Buet authorities declared a 44-day vacation amid teachers-students agitation. With yesterday's developments the leading engineering university of the country plunged into a major crisis threatening the academic activities of students.
In the letter, the teachers who resigned said they had no confidence in the activities of the VC and pro-VC who had committed “irregularities” in promoting a teacher to the registrar's position and creating the post of pro-vice-chancellor.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazrul Islam, however, termed the mass resignations "improper" and "unacceptable".
"The way the teachers resigned was improper as they gave signatures on a piece of paper and sent it to my office. It was a symbolic resignation and it was done to mount pressure on me and to get media attention," he told The Daily Star.
Meanwhile, an emergency syndicate meeting of the university yesterday decided to ask the chancellor of the university, President Zillur Rahman, to form a judicial enquiry commission to probe the teachers' allegations against the VC and pro-VC.
After the meeting, VC Nazrul Islam told the media that the syndicate had also decided to consult with the agitating teachers on finding an amicable solution to the crisis. It also approved the 44-day vacation the university went into yesterday, added the VC.
Some of the teachers who resigned told The Daily Star yesterday that they had done so for the sake of the students' and the institution's future. "There is no atmosphere to work under the incumbent administration. The vice-chancellor has been involved in controversial activities one after another since he assumed office," said Prof Shakil Akhtar, chairman of the department of Urban Rural Planning.
According to the teachers, the university authorities' appointment of Habibur Rahman, a professor of the civil engineering department, to the post of pro-VC was based solely on his political affiliation.
The university authorities violated the Buet custom of maintaining seniority regarding promotions and appointments, claimed the teachers' association, adding that the VC had begun a massive restructuring of the university administration since he took over on August 31, 2010.
They claimed that Deputy Registrar Kamal Ahmed had been appointed to the post of interim registrar through violating university convention. They also charged that the administration had changed the scores of two students.
The teachers' association has been agitating for several months demanding the removal of the VC and pro-VC. They observed a 28-day work abstention from April 7 but suspended their programme on the assurance of the prime minister and education minister that their demands would be looked into.
On May 9, the Buet authorities formed a probe committee to look into the allegations made by the teachers' association. The committee submitted its report on June 12 but the association rejected the probe report.
Buet, considered by many as the best educational institution in the country in terms of quality, went on a long summer, Ramadan, Shab-e-Qadr and Eid-ul-Fitr vacation yesterday. It will remain closed for 44 days at a stretch.
The announcement of the closure of the university came at a time when the teachers' association had given an ultimatum for the VC and pro-VC to resign by Saturday.
Yesterday, the teachers' association announced the indefinite sit-in following the announcement of the closure. The teachers' association members, Buet officials and employees brought out a silent procession on the campus around noon.
Around 1,000 students of the institution holding banners expressed their solidarity with the agitating teachers. Parading the campus streets, they gathered in front of the administrative building and held a rally there.
Prof Mujibur Rahman, president of the teachers' association, said the authorities had closed the institution unethically and without consulting with any forum. "But we will continue our movement until the VC and pro-VC resign," he said.
He said although teachers had gone back to taking classes on the assurance of the prime minister, the problems were yet to be taken care of.
Terming the demands of the teachers' association absurd, the VC said all the allegations they had raised against him were false and baseless. "It's the sole aim of the agitators to take control of the chairs of Buet VC and pro-VC," he told The Daily Star.
Earlier in the day, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid expressed concern over the latest developments and said the situation was hampering students' studies and academic environment.
"I have asked that a syndicate meeting be called immediately to review the entire situation and find a peaceful solution," he told The Daily Star.
He asked the senior teachers to sit and talk to find a solution. “…Buet is one of the best institutions of the country and we should not make any decision that ruins the students' future," Nahid said.
About the VC and pro-VC, Nahid said a probe was going on and they would definitely take action against them if they were found guilty.
With the resignations, the ongoing crisis at Buet has taken a turn for the worse and students, arguably the cream of the country, fear that they will have to bear the brunt of the conflict.