Dhaka University Senate lists nominees for next vice-chancellor

The Dhaka University Senate has finalised a list of nominees for the next vice-chancellor without voting to send it to the president's office amid a brawl between pro-Awami League teachers and left-leaning students.

President Md Abdul Hamid, also the university's chancellor, will appoint one of them as the next vice-chancellor or VC.

On Saturday, the senate nominated three names, including current VC AAMS Arefin Siddique without holding a voting by its members, senate member Shafiul Alam Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com.

Arefin Siddique’s tenure will end on Aug 24.

The two others are Science Faculty Dean Mohammed Abdul Aziz and Treasurer Kamal Uddin. Abdul Aziz is also the convenor of Blue Panel, a grouping of pro-Awami League teachers.

Shafiul said the senate members present in the meeting proposed no other panel.

According to him, the quorum for a sensate meeting is 25. On Saturday, 48 members of the senate attended the meeting.

The nomination of the VC candidates has also been marred by the boycott of the pro-BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami teachers’ White Panel, objections by a faction of the Blue Panel and protests by students who demanded their inclusion in the senate.   

The High Court halted the meeting after hearing a writ petition filed by some registered graduates of the university who challenged a notice that called the meeting before nominating their representatives in the senate.

The chamber judge of the Supreme Court stayed the High Court order, clearing the path for holding the meeting later.

Writ petitioners Sadeka Halim and Muhammad Samad, who are also members of the rebel faction of the Blue Panel, termed the current senate ‘fragmented’.

“The nomination has breached the practice of democracy,” Sadeka Halim told bdnews24.com on Saturday.

She alleged Arefin Siddique called the meeting without the registered graduates because he wanted to continue as the VC.

Muhammad Samad, a former convenor of the Blue Panel, said the nomination of the VC candidates breached the Dhaka University Order of 1973.

He vowed to continue the legal battle against the nomination.

Around half the members of the senate took part in the meeting held at the Senate Building in the afternoon.

Deputy Registrar Mohammad Moniruzzaman told bdnews24.com that around 50 posts of the 105-strong senate are vacant now.

White Panel Convenor Mohammad Akhter Hossain Khan said the nomination of VC candidates by an ‘ineffective senate with many vacant posts is unacceptable’.

Asked about the allegations, VC Arefin Siddique said the meeting to nominate the candidates was called in line with the Dhaka University Order.

In response to an allegation that the senate is ‘fragmented’ and ‘ineffective’, he said: “The Dhaka University Senate functions like the US Senate. It continues even if some members leave.”

“It means the entire senate cannot be ineffective if a category remains incomplete. The senate will always be effective.”  

A group of students has been protesting senate meetings without their representation.

They demonstrated in front of the Senate Building during the meeting on Saturday, demanding inclusion of their representative in the senate through Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DUCSU election.

About 20-25 leaders and activists of leftist students’ organisations took out a procession around 3:30pm.

They broke a gate of the Senate Building and brawled with some teachers of the proctorial body.

At least two teachers and six students were injured in the brawl.