Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam has assumed office as the new Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dhaka at a pivotal time for the country’s premier higher education institution.
A professor of physics and an experienced academic administrator, he took charge in mid-March following the resignation of his predecessor, Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan.
His appointment comes amid renewed attention to governance, academic standards, research output and global competitiveness.
Having previously served as Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University, Obaidul Islam brings a combination of academic leadership and institutional management experience. He has already outlined priorities that include strengthening research, improving the university’s global ranking, and fostering a more inclusive and student-friendly academic environment.
In an interview with Dhaka Tribune Correspondent Samsuddoza Nabab, the newly appointed vice-chancellor discussed his vision for the university, the challenges ahead, and how he intends to guide the historic institution through a period of transition and reform.
What is your vision for the university as Vice Chancellor?
My vision as Vice Chancellor is to move the university forward through a clear strategic approach.. The real question is how — what's the method? Dhaka University is a pioneer institution for this nation, its oldest and most prominent university. My job is to carry it forward according to a clear plan. To make this university known on the world stage — to establish it as Bangladesh's top institution — we need to advance both teaching and research.
All our universities are teaching institutions with some research activity, but if we can't raise our research quality to a world-class standard, and if we can't build the infrastructure to support that, we simply won't be able to move forward.
To achieve this, we need to secure additional funding, as our current resources are limited. Being a public university, government support—clearly evident when the annual budget is presented—leaves very little for research after covering salaries and allowances.
So, I need to think about how to build collaboration between academia and industry. We need to reach out to alumni, to industries, and seek their support. Beyond that, we need to explore all possible international opportunities and encourage those who want to do research by giving them the facilities and motivation to do so.
We also need to make the case at the government level — if we can secure research grants beyond the regular budget, we can build major research centers, pursue cooperative research, and create shared facilities that benefit everyone.
When the regular allocation simply isn't enough, we need to bring in special funding to drive that work. Then there's the matter of rankings — to be recognized globally, we need to improve our standing. Rankings aren't based on just one parameter or research alone; they depend on many factors. If we can improve across all those areas, we can take the university to a much stronger position on the world stage.
We operate in a very challenging environment. Perhaps the real challenge is learning to navigate that — anyone sitting in the Vice Chancellor's chair faces the enormous task of moving the university forward despite all those obstacles. I'll sit down with my Pro-Vice Chancellor for academic affairs and work through those parameters together. When a new Pro-VC for Academics comes on board, their focus will be on spreading and advancing the university's research output and improving our ranking.
Both inside and outside the university, many believe that Dhaka University has become more defined by politics than by its identity as an academic institution. Given the prominence of student politics on campus and the university’s historic role in national political movements, do you think its academic character has been overshadowed by political activities? What is your perspective on this issue?
I prefer to see politics not in a negative light — politics drives social change, and social change doesn't happen without it. I'll never say politics is inherently bad; it's the application of politics that can become harmful. You yourself hold political beliefs, whether openly or quietly. So, there's nothing wrong with being political — the problem arises when politics is used in a way that corrupts it or produces harmful outcomes. Even while holding a political philosophy, it's absolutely possible to do good.
That said, I'll say to everyone involved — keep your personal politics where it belongs, but the university belongs to all of us. This institution should not bear the marks of any particular political agenda. When I sit in this chair, that seat is universal — it's for every student, every teacher, every staff member, every stakeholder, including parents. I'm not here to serve any individual's or group's personal agenda. I will certainly have my own views — that's inevitable — but those views should not be reflected in my decisions. If I can keep my personal ideology out of my decision-making, then I'll be a Vice Chancellor for everyone.
Several controversial incidents occurred on campus during the tenure of the previous administration, including the murders of Tofazzal and Samya, as well as informal restrictions such as women reportedly not being allowed in the TSC area after 10 pm and being barred from entering the central field after 5 pm, among other incidents both major and minor. How do you assess the role of the former university administration in addressing these issues? Do you think more could have been done, or were the situations handled appropriately?
I'll say this — every person has a different way of working. It wouldn't be right for me to expect everyone to work exactly as I would. Some people will be far better than I, some may be less capable. I won't claim to be the best — in fact, I believe there are many people far better than me.
Performance depends on how you work, what kind of leadership style you bring, how commanding you are, and how well your team functions. A university isn't run by one person. I have the Pro-VCs, the proctorial team, the Proctor, the Provosts, Deans, Chairmen — we're all part of one institution. The student leadership, DUCSU, the student union — they're all part of it too. The university cannot be run alone.
If the person at the top of this team can show the right direction, everyone can follow with a sense of shared purpose. If there are shortcomings somewhere, some people will inevitably suffer for that. I won't say everyone is perfect — no one is.
Now, the previous Vice Chancellor worked under extraordinary challenges. After August 5th, he took on a massive responsibility. I salute him — he genuinely tried to do a lot for the betterment of this university. I won't say he didn't try; he absolutely did. But every person has limitations, and he had his. The country was in enormous turmoil, and the fact that he took on the responsibility and kept working through it deserves respect. I won't hold him accountable for what he couldn't achieve — limitations are part of being human.
