The University of Dhaka, popularly known as Dhaka University (DU), the country's oldest and premier university, is celebrating its 103rd founding anniversary this year.
The oldest university in the country and once known as the “Oxford of the East,” Dhaka University started its academic activities on July 1, 1921 with 12 departments, three faculties, 60 teachers, 877 students, and three residential halls on 600 acres of land.
In the mid-eighties, when I entered my first year honours in journalism, the country was under the martial law regime of General HM Ershad. As usual, DU students were leading the anti-autocracy movement initiated by the political leadership of different ideologies. It took nearly eight years to complete my three years graduation and one-year post-graduation courses because of this strong culture of campus politics. The political life of the university is largely portrayed in all discussions instead of its academic achievements.
While there is a general glorification of the role of student politics and its impact on national life, from the 1952 language movement to the 1990 democracy movement, there is a consensus that present-day politics is in the hands of party-political activists, which vitiates both academic and social lives on campus.
Today, the campus has minimal student politics, but there are so many student organizations; the dominant one is the ruling party's student wing. Teachers are divided in line with national politics and that is also dominated by the pro-ruling party activists. In a nutshell, this is the overall campus culture today.
The university is incredibly sluggish these days as far as academic activities are concerned. Despite getting salaries and benefits from the government, the university teachers enjoy a free pass to do politics.
Unfortunately, the institutional autonomy to Dhaka University that was granted by the DU order, 1973 has led to politicization in the university, and has ultimately led to armed conflicts among student bodies and enmity among teachers on the campus. All of this has contributed much to the deterioration of the general atmosphere and academic pursuit in this once-famous seat of learning.
DU once had the most brilliant, truthful, and sincere teachers. There could be many these days too. But in general, the teachers now yearn for power politics for ensuring personal gains. Vice-chancellors and others in powerful positions have acted as instruments of those in power. The net result of all these has led to politicization of all appointments -- and promotions and distribution of lucrative positions.
Loyalty of teachers to the political parties is more important than academic merit for securing a university appointment. It may sound bitter, but truly, Dhaka University sank to mediocrity. The number of voters is the choice while selecting teachers for appointments. In many cases the appointees are neither qualified, nor have the required experience.
The university is actually facing many crunches on many fronts -- the crisis of freedom on university campuses, the crisis of intellectual impoverishment, and the crisis of ethics and morals in both students and their teachers.
We want to see Dhaka University in its real place that will provide national leadership by producing individuals who create and who can show people the dream to move ahead. Without the protection of personal and intellectual freedoms, this is not possible.
Institutional morality is largely expected. Subject ability is a must for a teacher. But a combination of ethical standards, personal ability to motivate students towards research and innovation, and progressive outlook determines the outcome. Cheating and plagiarism by teachers or students is not new but to see it rampant in an institution is unacceptable.
Excellence is integral to the functioning of a university and it needs to be nurtured. Dhaka University can acquire this through considerable perseverance and tenacity of purpose.
The process of attaining excellence involves the recruitment of outstanding faculty and providing them with training, resources, and facilities in terms of laboratories, libraries, and research amenities.
Another way is strengthening its global networking. Excellence also presupposes the creation of a proper academic ambience that will encourage both the teachers and the students to strive for the advancement of learning.
Syed Ishtiaque Reza is the Editor in Chief of Global Television. He can be reached: [email protected]
