This view was expressed by many including apolitical teachers, officials and local elite often involved with activities of the university. Since its inception in 1991, academic activities in the university remained suspended for about 700 days due to agitation and political unrest, they said while talking to this correspondent.

The longest suspension was for about nine months due to agitation and unrest over naming of different dormitories and buildings of the university. Agitation solely by teachers kept academic activities suspended for about 250 days, they said.

Teachers have been involved in politics since the lone university in the country's north-eastern region came into being.

A section of teachers allegedly tried to save the killers after the murder of the then vice-president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) unit at SUST, Rafiqul Islam Patwary, in July last year in a sequel to intra-party feud.

In 1999, students' agitation over introduction of grading system was also allegedly provoked by some teachers. At a stage, the house of Life Science Dean Prof Habibul Ahsan was vandalised by some unruly students in presence of a number of teachers. Valuables worth Tk 8 lakh were damaged in that incident.

Some teachers also provoked a section of locals against the university authorities when they tried to construction a road attached to it in 1995.

In another incident, a faction of teachers provoked locals as well as students in 1994 when three teachers were injured as they tried to stop armed clashes between students and locals over a trifling matter.

The May 12 clashes this year between students of Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College (JRRMC) and Shahjalal University was mainly due to alleged inaction by the Proctorial body, teachers apathy and police excess, they claimed.

Even, none of the senior teachers went to visit the bullet-hit students at hospital following police firing on the night following May 12.

On the other hand, some of the teachers allegedly provoked the agitation and tried to desist police from entering the campus in time, it is alleged.

None of the teachers or leaders of the teachers' association or employees association went to the VC's house when it was being vandalised.

It is clear that teachers belonging to both the rival camp linked with ruling BNP and opposition Awami League remained inactive on that day when the Proctorial body members were on an indefinite strike.

On the other hand, the rival faction is demanding immediate posting of a new VC and a Pro-VC.

Meanwhile, a new wave of politics is surfacing over appointment of new VC and Pro-VC. Lobbying for getting appointment as VC and Pro-VC has already started, the sources said.

Considering the overall situation, guardians and general students as well as people in the area are worried about the future of the university.

So far, names Prof Dr. Habibul Ahsan, Dean of the Faculty of Life Science and Prof Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury, Dean of Faculty of Social Science are being discussed for the post of Pro-VC. Both of them are from the pro-BNP faction of teachers.

On the other hand, names of Prof Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury and Prof Kamrul Hasan Chowdhury and Prof Dr. Abdur Rab of Dhaka University are discussed for the post of VC. All of them are fromthe rightist platform.

However, Prof Musleh Uddin Ahmed, who resigned as VC on 14 May is also trying to back to the campus, sources close to him said.

Prof Musleh Uddin called some of his men from the campus to the capital yesterday and held a meeting there, they added.

SUST Registrar Jamil Ahmed Chowdhury yesterday said a serious crisis is ahead if the administrative vacuum can not be filled up immediately.

Treatment of injured students at hospital is being hampered for want of money.

Musleh Uddin Ahmed, a teacher at Public Administration department at Dhaka University joined SUST as Pro-VC in 2002. He was made VC on April 27, 2003 as Prof Md. Shafiqur Rahamn resigned in the face of agitation by a section of teachers and employees. Prof Rahman backed to his former post in DU.