Work Abstention by Teachers for 9 Days
No step yet to resolve IU deadlock
Star National Desk
The stalemate at Islamic University (IU) is continuing even after nine days of work abstention enforced by the Islamic University Teachers Association (IUTA).The association started their work abstention demanding fulfillment of their three-point demand which include appointment a new vice-chancellor from among the teachers, removal of Prof Anwarul Karim from the post of acting vice-chancellor and a judicial probe into various allegations of corrupt practices by the past VC and other officials and mass appointment in the university. . The IUTA is also observing a non-cooperation programme with acting vice-chancellor Prof Anwarul Karim. No classes and examinations are held although the university is open. No teacher is staying now on the campus. The students are passing idle time. Meanwhile, the IUTA leaders who are now in staying Dhaka have met two ministers including some high government officials and discuussed the latest university situation. They met Education Minister Dr Osman Faruk on Thursday. Earlier on Sunday they met State Minister for Education Ehsanul Haq Milon and University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman Prof Asaduzzaman on Saturday. The teachers were demanding a new VC following resignation of Prof Rafiqul Islam who resigned on June 22 in face of Jatyiatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) agitation. But the present crisis started when the government appointed Prof Anwarul Karim, incumbent Treasurer of the university the acting VC of the university on July 18. The IUTA started non-cooperation with the acting VC from July 19 after holding an emergency general meeting attended by 250 teachers of different political ideologies. Instability started in the university on May 18 when the then VC Prof Rafiqul Islam recruited 89 officers and staff against 53 circulated vacant posts violating the University Grants Commission (UGC) rules. Most of the recruits were activists or supporters of ruling BNP and Jamaat. BNP and its front organisations started agitation for at least 200 jobs for their party men, campus sources said. Meanwhile, the High Court issued a rule on the university authorities on July 20 to explain within two weeks why recruitment of 89 employees will not be declared illegal. However, the university was closed amid violence by JCD. The VC left the campus on May 19 in the face of the agitation. The university was opened after 20 days on June 11 with deadlock in its activities. On contact, IUTA president Prof Faez Md Serazul Hoque told The Daily Star he hoped a solution to the university crisis soon.
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