Confined vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University has said he is waiting for a decision from the chancellor of the institution, who is also the country's president.
JU VC Professor Anwar Hossain has been kept confined in his on-campus office for the third consecutive day on Friday by a section of teachers under the banner “General Teachers' Forum,” demanding his resignation.
Prof Anwar has already sent a letter to President Md Abdul Hamid informing him about the entire situation and seeking help.
“I am an elected VC of JU. Agitating teachers have been confining me irrationally over two days and demanding my resignation; but I will not resign giving into their demand,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
“I have sent a letter to the chancellor and requested him to form a committee according to the university act for investigating the allegations that the teachers have raised against me. I am expecting an immediate decision from the chancellor. If the probe committee finds me guilty, I will resign,” Prof Anwar asserted.
The Dhaka Tribune has learnt that the president has already moved for a solution to the crisis that has nearly paralysed the university. On Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assured the VC telling him that the government had been closely observing the developments at the university.
The members of the General Teachers’ Forum say their movement was meant to protect the university from a “wonton and autocrat VC.”
“We are continuing our movement maintaining the rules. VC Anwar Hossain must take the responsibilities of the charges brought against him and resign,” Prof Dr Md Hanif, convener of the General Teachers’ Forum, told the Dhaka Tribune.
However, two other groups of teachers – “Shikkakh Mancha” and “Shadharan Shikkhak Porshod” – have stood beside the VC. They rejected the anti-VC movement saying the allegations were baseless and meant to serve agendas.
“Confining anybody in such a way is a violation of human rights,” Ryhan Rhyne, a teacher of the Philosophy Department, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, the General Teachers’ Forum has announced a 3-day comprehensive strike for today. The teachers of the forum said they would not take any classes or participate in any administrative activity during the strike that would continue till Monday.
They, however, have decided to keep the scheduled exams out of the strike. Earlier, they staged a 2-day strike ending Thursday with the same demand.
A section of JU teachers, who have now assumed the banner of General Teachers’ Forum, has been agitating against Prof Anwar Hossain since April on charges that he did not punish a Chhatra League leader who had allegedly beat up a teacher.
In June they brought a dozen more allegations including the VC’s inaction in punishing alleged terrorists and violating rules in admitting students.
Former VC Prof Dr Shariff Enamul Kabir, a pro-Awami League teacher who was ousted by a section of left-leaning teachers in May, is backing the General Teachers’ Forum.
The forum comprises of a group of pro-Awami League teachers and some pro-BNP teachers as well.
