Teachers’ unrest continues to paralyse the administrative and academic activities of Jahangirnagar University with almost the same group of teachers using different platforms. This time the acting vice-chancellor has become their target, but the demand remains the same – stopping the teachers’ representative election.
A group of hardly 50 teachers, officers and employees was enough to bring the functioning of the university administration to a total halt on Wednesday as they once again blocked the administrative office of the university. The unruly group also confined the acting VC and pro-VC (administration), protesting what they said violation of the chancellor’s directives.
These teachers and employees, now teamed up under the banner of Teachers-Students and Officers-Employees’ United Forum, felt that the authorities had violated the chancellor’s directives by declaring a teacher representative election in the senate.
However, no students took part in the movement called by the forum.
Forcing the officials to stop administrative activities, the teachers confined acting VC MA Matin and pro VC Afsar Ahmed, demanding the suspension of the teacher representative polls scheduled on December 7.
JU Teachers’ Association Secretary Prof Sharif Uddin said: “Teachers are not willing to attend the teacher representative polls under Prof Anwar Hossain and the authorities have to suspend the polls.”
Prof Kamrul Ahsan, secretary of the united forum, told the Dhaka Tribune: “Classes and examinations will remain out of the movement’s purview.”
Social Science Faculty Dean Amir Hossain said: “Although the chancellor asked the VC to arrange a VC panel election immediately, Prof Anwar Hossain declared a teacher representative election which is a direct violation of the chancellor’s instruction. The VC was also asked to withdraw the writ petition against the teachers but he still hasn’t done so.”
The VC, meanwhile, claimed that President Abdul Hamid asked him to select the VC panel after reforming the current senate because some 83 senate members of this senate had expired.
In contrary, the anti-VC teachers claimed that the chancellor asked the VC to hold only the VC panel election as the expired senate remains activate until its successors come into power according to the Jahangirnagar University Act.
On November 6, President Abdul Hamid asked the JU VC to hold senate election immediately and select the VC panel through the senate in line with the Jahangirnagar University Act.
The VC was also asked to withdraw the writ petition against JUTA president, its secretary and social science faculty dean.
VC Prof Anwar Hossain could not be reached over his mobile phone for comment in this regard.