Teachers demand removal of 'corrupt' principal

Teachers and staff of Godagari Women's Degree College in Rajshahi district yesterday demanded immediate removal of the college principal for his alleged irregularities and corruption.
When the college was established in 1994, Abdur Rashid got appointment as the principal with the help of former post and telecommunications minister Aminul Haque, they said at a press conference held at Rajshahi Metropolitan Press Club.
"At that time, he [Principal Rashid] simultaneously served as a mathematics teacher of Premtali College of the same upazila and drew salary from there."
"On 2005, an education ministry audit team that visited the college mentioned in their report that Abdur Rashid's appointment as principal was illegal. The ministry ordered him to return his drawn salary.
"The principal hid the audit report and instructed the teachers and staff to collect Tk 2 lakh to 'manage' the audit team."
But the principal's version was found false, the teachers said.
Principal Abdur Rashid harasses teachers and employees by issuing showcase notices for opposing his decision, they alleged.
Earlier, they submitted a written complaint to Godagari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) about his irregularities and corruption.
Following the complaint, the UNO formed a three-member probe committee that found irregularities against the principal.
On July, 2007, the UNO temporarily suspended the principal at a governing body meeting, the teachers said. They also showed a copy of the document to journalists.
The principal suspended college vice-principal Enamul Haque and stopped payment of his salary as he protested his mismanagement, they said at the press conference.
The principal also appointed additional teachers, officials and employees against non-vacant posts in exchange of huge amount of bribe, they said.
The teachers and officials urged caretaker government and education ministry to immediately remove the 'corrupt' principal.
Zamilur Rahman, a lecturer of English department, readout the written statement while college teachers Ismail Haque, Abdul Zabbar, Abdul Malek, Md Kamruzzman, Taslim Uddin, Durul Huda and Ali Azam were present at the press conference.
When contacted over telephone, the principal declined to make any comment about the allegations of corruption and irregularities.