Recruitment anomaly: Is PS of Chittagong University VC being protected?
The Chittagong University administration is delaying to sue former personal secretary to the vice chancellor and a guard over recruitment irregularity, ignoring a probe committee's recommendation.
The probe body was formed on March 5 after five phone conversations of the VC's personal secretary Khaled Misbahul Mokor Robin and security guard Ahmed Hossain were leaked at the end of January.
In those conversations, the two were heard asking for money from job seekers, according to media reports.
The probe committee, headed by CU syndicate member Prof AKM Moinul Haque Meaze, during its investigation, found Robin and Ahmed guilty. It strongly recommended filing of a case against them and demoting Robin.
However, all the suggestions are still to be followed.
A probe body was formed on March 5 after five phone conversations of the VC's personal secretary Khaled Misbahul Mokor Robin and security guard Ahmed Hossain were leaked at the end of January. In those conversations, the two were heard asking for money from job seekers, according to media reports.
After a phone conversation between Robin and a lecturer aspirant for the Persian language and literature department was leaked, the VC merely served a show cause notice to Robin.
The CU administration filed a GD against security guard Ahmed with Hathazari Police Station and transferred Robin from the post of PS to deputy exam controller.
Expressing their resentment, several senior teachers alleged that VC Prof Shireen Akhter is deliberately delaying to follow the recommendation to save Robin.
This correspondent managed to get a copy of the probe committee report submitted at the CU syndicate meeting on July 7, 2022.
According to the report, those who were involved in the recruitment irregularity have to be brought to book.
It also stated that according to CU employee (efficiency and discipline) statutes 3(C) and 4(1)(D) (reduction to the lower post of time scale) Robin should be demoted.
Following the official procedure, another probe committed -- headed by Prof Siraj Ud Doulla, dean of the social science faculty -- was formed on July 7 for further verification.
The Daily Star recently talked to several senior teachers and officials of CU. Seeking anonymity, they alleged that Robin, abusing the VC's power, contacted job seekers and lured them with jobs in exchange for a hefty amount.
If an offender is not sued despite there being evidence, someone is trying to save the person, said one of them.
Requesting anonymity, a teacher of the public administration department said, "The syndicate formed the second committee to revise the recommendation of Robin's demotion. But there is no bar to file a case against him following the earlier committee's recommendation."
They are not filing a case because many others may be exposed during police investigation, he added.
Prof Siraj refused to talk about the issue.
In the latest development, a faction of the CU unit of Chhatra League beat Robin and dragged him out of the VC's office on October 17 over the recruitment controversy, according to a media report.
CU Registrar Prof SM Monirul Hasan said, "We are waiting for the second probe committee's report. The allegation of delay is not true."
"Robin was suspended earlier, but he managed to rejoin following a court order," claimed the registrar.
VC Shireen, who earlier cancelled the recruitment process for the Persian language department in the wake of criticism, did not respond to phone calls repeatedly made by this correspondent. She did not reply to text messages as well.
Robin and Ahmed were not available for comments.
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