The Dhaka University (DU) senate – highest decision making body of the university – in an uncontested voting session has elected its Vice Chancellor (VC) panel, from where the university will get its next VC.
BNP endorsed senate members boycotted the election and did not submit any panel whereas no other took part, paving the way for the ruling party backed VC panel to win unopposed.
Business Faculty Dean Prof Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam proposed the winning three-member Awami League endorsed panel during the special session of the senate at the Sir Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban on Wednesday.
The panel members include: present VC and Islamic History and Culture department Prof M Akhtaruzzaman, pro VC (administration) and Social Welfare and Research Institute Prof Muhammad Samad, Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Dean Professor ASM Maksud Kamal.
The next DU VC will be appointed by President Abdul Hamid, also the university chancellor, from the freshly elected three-member panel, as per the Dhaka University Order 1973, under section 11(1).
Representing the blue panel, ruling party backed senate members along with the registered graduates of Gonotantrik Oikya Parishad during an internal meeting had fixed their panel for DU's next VC on Tuesday.
However, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-backed senate members registered graduates were unable to decide their panel as they are minority in the DU senate with only three members among the total 105.
According to Dhaka University order 1973, under section 11(1): “The vice chancellor shall be appointed by the chancellor for a period of four years from a panel of three persons to be nominated by the senate on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the chancellor.”
Total of 93 senate members among the 105 were present at the special senate meeting, keeping the present DU VC Prof M Akhtaruzzaman in chair.
On September 4, 2017, Prof Akhtaruzzaman was appointed by the chancellor of the university President Abdul Hamid as the interim VC of the university.