SUST VC besieged as formation of new proctorial body triggers protest

In a surprise move, the vice chancellor (VC) of Sylhet’s Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), who was on a two-month leave, has formed a new proctorial body.

In protest, a group of teachers affiliated to pro-Awami League teachers’ panel confined the VC Aminul Haque Bhuiyan to his office on Monday morning.

Two months ago, VC Bhuiyan went on a leave amid an agitation by the same group of teachers. He was supposed to return to work on Jun 23 after completion of his leave.

However, around 8am on Monday the VC arrived at the campus. Minutes after he entered his office, the section of pro-AL teachers’ panel locked the door and began a demonstration in front of his office. At that time, no university officials could enter the building.

Amid the agitation, the VC gave approval to the new proctorial committee. Some members of another section of pro-AL leftist teachers’ panel were included in the committee.

From his confinement, VC Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com over the telephone, “Professor Kamruzzaman of the Forestry Department has been appointed as the vice chancellor.”

Besides, Professor Samiul Islam of Department of Public Administration, Omar Faruk from Department of Mathematics and Jahid Hasan from Department of Industrial Engineering have been made assistant proctors.

VC also promised to bring changes in other sections of the university administration.

Earlier, the section of pro-Al teachers’ panel, that had confined the VC, accused him of misconduct, failing to run university administration and indulging in irregularities in employing staff and demanded his immediate resignation.

As part of the movement, on Apr 20, thirty-five teachers had relinquished their administrative posts.

However, on Apr 23, Aminul Haque Bhuiyan called an emergency syndicate meeting and announced to go on a two-month leave. After that the 35 teachers returned to their administrative posts and continued to work under the Acting VC Ilias Uddin Biswas.

Former Acting Proctor Emdadul Haque had said, even though those teachers had submitted resignation letter, they would continue to work with the ‘new’ VC.

They, however, would submit resignation letter if the current VC came back, Haque had said.