‘Blue panel’ candidate Farid Uddin denies proposing Zia chair

Dhaka University (DU) teacher Farid Uddin Ahmed has refuted allegations that he proposed a chair in the name of former military dictator Ziaur Rahman.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 18 Dec 2014, 04:09 PM
Updated : 18 Dec 2014, 04:09 PM

bdnews24.com ran a report on Wednesday that the ''Blue panel' president candidate ‘proposed’ chair after Zia at Dhaka University' quoting sources.

"I don't have the least involvement with any such proposal," he said in a rejoinder on Thursday.

Ahmed is the president candidate from ruling Awami League-backed 'Blue panel' for the Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA).

Several DU teachers separately told bdnews24.com that Ahmed had once bitterly opposed Awami League.

He had proposed a chair in the name of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at the Department of Economics in March 2005, they claimed.

In the rejoinder sent on DUTA letterhead, economics teacher Ahmed claimed they had received a letter at the beginning of 2005 to set a 'Zia Chair'.

The letter said "funding" would be arranged if the chair was introduced.

"It was put up in the academic committee meeting but no decision was taken as the teachers opposed.

"Moreover, the matter is not mentioned in the 2005 academic committee proceedings," he wrote.

However, the DU Syndicate member did not mention the source of the letter.

He rubbished a senior teacher's claim that he was the one to propose the chair.

The committee had "only discussed" the letter, he said, adding there was nothing to make a proposal on.

Ahmed claimed he had been working "for the spirit of Liberation War" and that his involvement became greater after joining the university.

He said the claim about him proposing a chair in the name of a former military dictator whose family did not have any ties with the university was "ridiculous".