The embattled vice-chancellor (VC) of Jahangirnagar University (JU) has pledged to leave his post after the holding of elections for the student union and VC panel, both scheduled to be held by January.
At a crowded press conference on the campus yesterday, VC Anwar Hossain announced that the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (Jucsu) election will take place on December 6, while the VC panel polls will be held before January 24.
Anwar also declared that he would leave JU after the elections, adding that he would not seek re-election as VC.
“I am an elected VC, and I will hand over the charge of the university to an elected VC,” Anwar said. “I will not take part in the next VC panel election,” he added.
However, the General Teachers Forum, a platform of teachers that has been demanding the VC’s resignation since April, rejected Anwar’s decision.
At a separate press conference yesterday, the teachers demanded that the VC panel election be held immediately, adding that they did not want any Jucsu election under the incumbent VC.
Anwar’s declaration came after a meeting with the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry and teachers’ representatives on Wednesday.
The teachers’ forum claimed that the standing committee had recommended that university authorities arrange the VC panel election as soon as possible.
Sources said the standing committee, chaired by Rashed Khan Menon in the presence of Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, recommended arranging the VC panel election to end the ongoing unrest on the campus. It also requested that Anwar Hossain not take part in the election.
But the parliamentary body did not mention anything about the Jucsu election, sources said.
“The VC is intentionally trying to waste time by talking about Jucsu. He did not discuss anything with the relevant authorities, although it was a condition of the standing committee’s meeting. This is an example of his autocracy,” said Md Kamrul Ahsan, secretary member of the teachers’ forum.
Kamrul said such “irrational activities” on the part of the VC would further agitate the teachers, who were thinking of relaxing their movement.
“Following Wednesday’s meeting, we had decided to suspend our movement. But now, we cannot help it as the VC is not accepting the standing committee’s recommendations,” Kamrul said.
Meanwhile, Anwar Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that according to the University Act of 1973, a VC has the power to take any decision.
“Considering the ongoing unrest on the campus and the students’ long cherished dream, I will arrange Jucsu elections before the VC panel election,” Anwar said.
The VC also said two hall provosts who were dismissed on Tuesday could remain in their posts, “on the condition that they do not engage in activities against the university administration.”
Meanwhile , teachers and students said the authorities had to create an environment of coexistence between all student groups on the campus to hold a credible Jucsu election.
No Jucsu election has taken place since 1992, depriving students of a platform to express their views.