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Published : 02 Dec 2025, 06:34 PM
Teachers from the seven government colleges have demanded that the draft ordinance for the proposed Dhaka Central University include permanent placement of BCS General Education Cadre officers in all academic and administrative posts, while removing the schooling structure from the plan.
They raised the call on Tuesday during a rally at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education premises, where the teachers’ collective, Seven Colleges Autonomy Protection Council, held the event.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Dhaka College teacher Zahirul Islam said the university should retain the colleges’ existing structure and incorporate education cadre officials at every tier of academic and administrative responsibility.
Tariqul Islam, an assistant professor at Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, said teachers want education cadres to be appointed not only to college academic posts but also to the university’s academic roles.
He added that they are requesting the education ministry to include education cadre officials in key administrative roles such as vice-chancellor, pro-vice-chancellor, treasurer, and controller, and to ensure that the current ministry-led recruitment process for teachers and staff in government colleges remains unchanged.
The interim government has advanced plans to form DCU by merging the capital’s major seven government colleges after sustained student protests, but the initiative has sharply divided teachers and students at both higher secondary and undergraduate levels.
Education cadres serving in colleges fear that the draft’s proposed structure, which includes promotion pathways, could restrict their career progression, while current students want the legal framework for the new university finalised without delay.
The ministry released the draft ordinance on Sept 24, proposing four schools formed from the seven colleges under an interdisciplinary model in which higher secondary classes would continue.
The council representing teachers from the institutions, has opposed the structure.
On Monday, the council’s Convenor Prof Mahfil Ara Begum said the model threatens to shrink the capacities of government colleges in ways that could damage students’ prospects, the wider education system and social equity.
She warned that reduced seat availability in government colleges would push more students toward high-fee private institutions, accelerating the commercialisation of higher education despite the National Education Policy, 2010, calling for broadening access.
Outlining action, she said there will be human chains and press briefings across all government colleges on Dec 3, a shutdown of public examinations and full work stoppage in the seven colleges on Dec 4, followed by a “mass” rally of education cadre members at the Central Shaheed Minar on Dec 6.
She said if the final ordinance ignores the cadre’s demands, an immediate and indefinite total shutdown will begin across all government colleges and directorates.
