Vet students for keeping present listing of BAU faculties

Veterinary science students of the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) yesterday demanded maintaining the present order that lists their faculty in first position at the university, countering recent demands by agriculture students to put their faculty at the top.    At present, the order of faculties in the admission form appears as follows: Veterinary Science, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Agricultural Economics & Sociology, and Fisheries. Sources at the academic office say the faculties were listed in that order according to their date of establishment.    At a press briefing on Saturday, the Agriculture Faculty Students Association (AFSA) claimed that the existing “sequencing” of the faculties misguides prospective students when they choose subjects during admission, as they, apparently, get the impression that Veterinary Science is a better subject than Agriculture.    AFSA leaders demanded that the authorities follow section 23(1) of the university ordinance, which says there “shall be” six faculties: Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Science, Agricultural Engineering & Technology, Agricultural Economics & Sociology, and Fisheries.   However, the Bangladesh Veterinary Students Association (BVSA) leaders yesterday refuted AFSA’s claims, pointing out that the statute only stipulates that there “shall be” six faculties, but does not specify their listing order.    “It does not mean that Agriculture must be in first position,” Md Manikuzzaman, BVSA general secretary, said at a press briefing, held at the BAU Journalists’ Association office. “A vested quarter is trying to create unrest in the peaceful campus over a silly matter,” he said.   The BVSA leader also demanded maintaining the existing order for the greater interest of the university, claiming that Veterinary Science was the “best”. He also threatened organise a movement if the authorities took any “wrong” decision influenced by others.  Meanwhile, BAU Registrar Md Nozibur Rahman declined to comment on the matter.