VC election move faces opposition

Despite opposition by a section of teachers, the Jahangirnagar University authorities are firm on holding a special senate session on July 20 to elect a three-member panel of probable vice chancellors.
“I am determined to hold the election on schedule and I believe the ongoing crisis can be resolved through restoring the democratic process,” said JU VC Prof Anwar Hossain while exchanging views with journalists on the campus yesterday.
Prof Anwar said the July 20 event was crucial because there had been no election to the highest post of the university for the last eight years.
The university may plunge into further crisis if unelected persons remained in the top administrative positions, he added.
A well-known Dhaka University teacher belonging to the pro-Awami League Blue panel, Anwar Hossain was appointed JU VC on May 20 following teacher-student agitations that forced the then VC Shariff Enamul Kabir to quit.
Anwar Hossain is still the president of DU Teachers Association (DUTA).
He noted there had been no election to the VC post at Dhaka University as well for over last three years, which was a clear violation of the 1973 ordinance.
Though appointed for four years, Prof Anwar has chosen to go for election to the post in line with the university act only to restore a democratic process as well as bring an end to longstanding crises, he said.
The Jahangirnagar University Act, 1973, says “The Vice-Chancellor shall be appointed by the Chancellor for a period of four years from a panel of three persons to be nominated by the Senate on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Chancellor, and shall be eligible for re-appointment for a further period of four years.”
In reply to a question, Prof Anwar said, “It is not important whether I will be a candidate for the VC's post or not. But I will not withdraw if anyone proposes my name as a VC candidate at the special senate session on July 20.”
On another question, he termed illogical the opposition of a section of teachers to the election.
Under the banner of Sammilito Shikkhak Parishad, a group of teachers maintained a siege to the administrative building for the fourth straight day yesterday to press for the senate election before the VC panel polls.
“The July 20 election will be held at any cost and it will not be deferred under any circumstances,” the VC said, urging the teachers to call off their agitation in the interest of the university.
Asked why he had not called the senate election first, Prof Anwar said some complexities had arisen as no elections of registered graduate representatives had taken place over the past 14 years following a court injunction. Additionally, the Jahangirnagar University Central Students Union (Jucsu) has been stalled for years.
Meanwhile, a statement of the Sammilito Shikkhak Parishad yesterday said the tenures of 55 out of 92 senate members had already expired and thus the senate polls had become essential.
The VC, ignoring all the “logical” demands, announced the VC panel election date, it added.
“The move by the VC to hold the VC election in a hurried manner, bypassing the senate election, is apparently a deep-rooted conspiracy to cover up the irregularities and corruption of the former VC and his associates as well as to re-establish them in authority.”