Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Monday warned of action against Jahangirnagar University (JU) teachers if they didn’t call off their agitation.
“The government will take steps to restore normal academic atmosphere in JU. I hope the teachers will withdraw their inconsiderate movement that goes against the interest of students. They should immediately resume their duties and restore congenial academic atmosphere on the campus,” said an education ministry statement, quoting Nahid. The minister sought the cooperation of students and varsity officials.
The statement said the ministry was closely watching the happenings on the campus “with deep anxiety”. It added: “Such a movement, led by a segment of teachers, has been hampering academic and administrative activities of the university for a long time.”
The ministry release claimed that the teachers resumed their agitation even before the inquiry commission could submit its report. They did not even discuss the matter with the ministry, it alleged.
In this situation, students, guardians, general teachers and former students are anxious, the release said.
The agitating teachers have been keeping the university registrar and the deputy registrar confined to their rooms since 2.30 pm on September 30. The agitators have also been staging a sit-in demonstration in front of Vice-Chancellor Professor Anwar Hossain’s residence since 10.40 pm on October 1. “Such behaviour on the part of the teachers is inconsiderate and undesirable,” the statement added.
It also said a section of the JU teachers had brought several charges against the VC and kept him confined on August 21. The teachers withdrew their agitation on August 24, following assurances from the minister and the education secretary to initiate a probe by a two-member committee. The probe panel was supposed to submit its report within 15 days. However, it had sought more time so as to conduct a “fair investigation”. The President, who is also the JU chancellor, gave the panel an extension till September 29.
The commission has submitted the report and the education ministry is working on the findings, the statement added.
-With The Independent input
