President Abdul Hamid, also chancellor of Jahangirnagar University, has asked the agitating teachers to withdraw their indefinite strike unconditionally for the continuation of academic activities and bringing back congenial atmosphere on the campus.
The president also said Vice-Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain would take immediate steps to hold the senate elections and select VC panel through the senate in line with the university act. The VC was also instructed to withdraw the writ petition filed against the agitating teachers, an education ministry press release said on Thursday.
Both the VC and the anti-VC teachers have been asked to take necessary measures in resuming activities of the university’s Syndicate and other committees including the academic council, and to begin the first year admission test procedures.
The press release said President Abdul Hamid had given the directives on Wednesday after the ministry had taken different steps through the minister, secretary and the parliamentary standing committee. An investigation committee was formed and the probe report was placed to the president.
The statement said the instructions had been conveyed to the VC, the agitating teachers under the banner of General Teachers’ Forum and the JU Teachers’ Association (JUTA).
However, Prof Anwar told the Dhaka Tribune last night that he had not got any such directives, but was aware of the ministry’s press release.
The campaigning teachers too said they were yet to get the message of the president.
The forum, backed by ousted VC Shariff Enamul Kabir and pro-BNP teachers, and JUTA on Thursday continued their all-out strike demanding resignation of VC Prof Anwar for the sixth day when a section of students, officers and employees joined them. A new platform was formed named “Teachers-Students and Officers-Employee’s United Forum.”
They took position in front of the VC’s residence while all activities of the administrative building had been stopped since November 2. The teachers have been agitating since April this year against the VC who was made elected in July last year.
Officials said since the administrative office had been locked, they could not check the fax or attend the phone calls.
The VC on October 24 announced that the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (Jucsu) election would take place on December 6, while the VC panel polls before January 24. The former Dhaka University teacher also declared that he would leave the JU after the elections and would not contest the VC panel polls. “I am an elected VC, and I will hand over the charge of the university to an elected VC,” he told a press conference on the campus.
Asked, the VC told the Dhaka Tribune that he had no pressure from the government to resign and that he was determined not to resign before holding the Jucsu polls.
No Jucsu election has taken place since 1992, depriving students of a platform to express their views, while same fate with the senate where the students have five representatives.
Prof Kamrul Ahsan, secretary of the united forum, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We want an honourable step-down of the VC and he should leave immediately considering the university’s interest.”
Meantime General Teachers’ Council, a platform loyal to the VC, on Thursday protested the anti-VC movement and demanded resumption of classes and examinations immediately. At a press conference, they also demanded that the investigation report of the education ministry probe committee be made public.
On Wednesday, a section of students agitated on the campus demanding resumption of academic activities.