Agitating teachers of Jahangirnagar University teamed up as General Teachers’ Forum began a three-day strike on Saturday to press for the resignation of vice-chancellor Anwar Hossain. Teachers said that they went on the strike as the commission investigating the crisis at the university over the demand for the resignation of the vice-chancellor failed to end the deadlock.
Earlier, the teachers’ forum suspended their programme for 15 days after a meeting with the education minister, Nurul Islam Nahid, on August 24 when he assured them of looking into their demand after investigation by an inquiry commission.
Forum members had confined Anwar in his office since August 21 demanding his resignation. Teachers of the university had also been staging demo since April 27 demanding the resignation of the vice-chancellor.
The classes and exams were hampered because of the strike enforced by the teachers on Saturday.
‘If the VC doesn’t quit during the three-day strike, we will force him to resign at any cost,’ dean of social science faculty Amir Hossain told New Age. ‘Resignation of the VC is only solution to the crisis,’ he added.
Teachers and students said uncertainty loomed large over holding the admission tests for the 2013-14 academic session.
The forum levelled different allegations against the VC. The allegations include not punishing a student for assaulting teachers, violating freedom fighters’ quota in admission, appointing incompetent teachers, making disparaging comments against teachers and misusing university funds.
Since April 27, Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association had been staging demo demanding the resignation of the VC, accusing him of not taking punitive action against university unit Chhatra League general secretary Razib Ahmed Russell for assaulting lecturer Nurul Haq, also a syndicate member, on April 6.
On July 24, the High Court in response to a petition filed by four teachers and a student directed the university authorities to immediately take necessary steps for the continuation of day-to-day functions of the university.
The teachers’ association called off its agitation programmes on July 30, but the teachers’ forum continued the agitation.
Anwar took charge after his predecessor Sharif Enamul Kabir on May 17, 2012 resigned in the face of protests by students and teachers over ‘irregularities’ and ‘nepotism’ in the appointment of teachers.
Anwar was later elected the vice-chancellor by the university senate.
-With New Age input
