News Desk : dhakamirror.com
Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology acting vice-chancellor Professor Md Sazzad Hossain resigned on Sunday after a group of teachers staged a sit-in inside his office room demanding their due promotion and upgradation.
Ahsan Habib, one of the protesting teachers, told New Age that Professor Md Sazzad Hossain signed on his resignation paper at about 8:45pm and they had suspended their sit-in programme.
Earlier, a group of teachers kept the acting VC in his office room demanding their due promotion and upgradation.
Witnesses said, a group of teachers along with some leaders of RUET Teachers’ Association entered the vice chancellor’s office at around 11:45am and asked the latter to issue a circular for their promotion and upgradation.
As the acting VC Professor Md Sazzad Hossain told the teachers that he did not have any jurisdiction of issuing any employment circular as he could only perform the routine works.
Later, the teachers began a sit-in programme inside the vice-chancellor’s office, confining the latter for their demand.
The protesting teachers said that the tenure of the last regular vice-chancellor of the university ended on July 30, 2022.
On the following day, the education ministry provided applied science and humanities faculty dean Professor Md Sazzad Hossain with the additional charge of vice-chancellor for the time being in order to manage daily administrative and financial activities at the university.
Professor Md Robiul Awall, general secretary of RUET Teacher Association, said that the RUET authorities usually promote and upgrade teachers by issuing employment circulars every year.
However, at least eighty teachers were being deprived of their due promotion and upgradation for the last 15 months despite fulfilling all conditions as no fresh employment notice was issued since the last notice served in February 2022, he said.
Professor Md Robiul Awall, general secretary of RUET Teachers’ Association, alleged that the academic activities of the university were being hampered as the vice chancellor in additional charge could not hold meetings of different committees including those of syndicate and academic council, and approve promotions and requirements.
He said that they had submitted memorandums to the prime minister, the education ministry and the University Grant Commission demanding the appointment of a regular vice-chancellor but their demand was yet to be met.
Professor Md Robiul Awall said that the university would face a more complicated situation and problems in the fields of academic and administrative activities if a regular vice-chancellor was not appointed soon.
The acting VC could not be reached for comments on Sunday night.
