SMA Faiz steps down as UGC chairman citing ‘illness’

He submits his resignation to the secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Prof Dr SMA Faiz has resigned from his post, citing "physical illness".

Faiz submitted his resignation to the secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division on Monday, according to education ministry official Khalid Mahmud.

Repeated attempts were made to contact him over the phone for comment, but he could not be reached.

The interim government appointed Faiz, a former vice-chancellor of Dhaka University, as the UGC chief for four years on Sept 5, 2024.

A former teacher at the Department of Soil, Water and Environment of Dhaka University, he also served as the chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission from 1993 to 1998.

He was the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University between September 2002 and January 2009.

Faiz had replaced Prof Kazi Shahidullah as the UGC chairman after the latter resigned on Aug 11, 2024, amid a broad reshuffling of top posts in the government, non-government and autonomous organisations following the Aug 5 changeover.