Amid a revolving door of VCs, infrastructure still Barishal University's key challenge

Barishal University was envisioned as the first public university in Bangladesh's southern region when it was established on January 14, 2011.

Situated on 50 acres of land in the Karnakathi area of Barishal Sadar, the university has had five vice-chancellors take office since its inception.

Yet, only two have been able to serve their full terms.

The remaining three were forced to resign amidst students protests.

The most recent in this growing list is former vice-chancellor Prof Suchita Sharmin, who stepped down on May 13after a 29-day-long student movement, along with the university's pro-vice chancellor and treasurer.

Notably, within the last one and a half years, two VCs have joined and failed to remain in office for even a whole year.

In the nascent history of this university, only two vice-chancellors — Professors Mohammad Harun-or-Rashid and Sadequl Arefin — have successfully completed their four-year terms.

Students have identified the lack of adequate infrastructure as the university's most pressing issue. However, both students and faculty point to the politicisation of the VC office — specifically, favouring certain teacher groups — as a key reason for administrative failure.

Sujoy Shuvo, a leader of the latest student protest, said, "This university has yet to become a full-fledged academic institution in terms of thought and environment. The primary challenge is inadequate infrastructure. Past VCs lacked sincerity in solving these issues and were often misled by internal groups."

Another student, Md Zahid Hossain, echoed similar concerns, "After 14 years, the university still lacks proper infrastructure. On top of that, internal rifts among teachers prevent any VC from succeeding. When one group is favoured, the others become disgruntled, creating continuous conflict."

Multiple university insiders revealed that the root cause behind the premature exits of three vice-chancellors was their tendency to build inner circles of loyal staff and faculty.

Those excluded from these circles allegedly influenced students to launch movements against the administration.

Former VC Prof Suchita Sharmin had offered to negotiate with protestors the day before her resignation, but those efforts failed.

Her predecessor, Prof Badruzzaman Bhuiyan, also resigned after a ten-month stint, despite attempts to reach a compromise following August 5.

The second VC Prof Imam-ul-Haque, who was the first to resign, had expressed regret for a comment he had made but still could not complete his term.

And now, new leadership is in the horizon, while the university continues to grapple with old challenges.

Public Relations Officer Faisal Mahmud Rumi acknowledged that the new VC of BU will join this afternoon.

Speaking to The Daily Star, newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Toufiq Alam said, "The government has entrusted me with this responsibility during a critical time. My top priority is to ensure a better academic environment for students and to elevate Barishal University to new heights. With 33 years of experience, I will strive to foster a harmonious relationship among students, faculty, and staff."

"No problem is unsolvable," he added. "With sincere effort, every issue can be solved."