A section of Jahangirnagar University teachers yesterday demanded reconstitution of the university’s present senate body before holding of the vice chancellor panel election, which is scheduled for Thursday.
The teachers, under the banner “Muktijuddho O Progotibadi Chetonay Biswasi Shikkhokder Jote,” also demanded changing the legal procedure to elect a new senate before the VC panel election.
Sajed Ashraf Karim, a former dean of the social science faculty, presented the demands at a press conference held at the teachers’ lounge of the new arts faculty in the afternoon.
“The validity of some 63 senate members of the university has expired. Avoiding this serious issue, the [VC] election schedule has been declared to protect the interest of a particular party, which is clearly a perfect example of partiality,” the professor claimed, reading out from a written statement.
The Muktijuddho Jote, consisting of pro-Awami League and left leaning teachers, also called for following the university act properly in holding the VC panel poll in a credible manner.
After months of agitation by a group of teachers forced ex-VC Anwar Hossain to resign last month, JU Chancellor President Abdul Hamid ordered a new VC panel election to be held within a month with the incumbent senate.
Following the chancellor’s order, acting VC MA Matin scheduled the next VC election for February 20.
Sixty-three of the senate’s 93 members ended their tenures at various times over the past one year. Out of the 30 remaining members, 10 are government appointed.
According to JU rules, former senate members can participate in university elections until their successors are named, but many believe the practice to be unethical.
Some teachers also criticised the president’s directive to hold the VC election within 30 days.
“The president cannot issue such a directive in a self-ruling institution. This is a violation of the constitution of the country and the university act,” claimed A T M Atikur Rahman, a professor of history.
Nasim Akter Hossain, convenor of “Shikkhok Shomaj”, said if necessary, the left-leaning teachers’ group would launch a movement and go to court on the issue.
