Feature

An interview of the Vice Chancellor Rajshahi University

Interview taken by M.A.Kaioum

PROF. Dr. M. Altaf Hossain, joined Rajshahi University (RU) as the Vice Chancellor on 5 June, 2005. He is the 19th Vice Chancellor of RU. In this interview, he has talked about his work and expectations at the second largest university of Bangladesh.

Star Campus (SC): What do you think about Rajshahi University celebrating its 54th year?

Prof. Dr. M. Altaf Hossain (MAH): Being the VC of this old university is a matter of pride to me. But the sad truth is that, the largest educational institution of North Bengal has been given a second class treatment right from its inception. The past governments were quite miserly in alloting the required funds for the university. The number of teachers has always been less compared to the number of students. Though deprived, we still produce good products-students - for the country.

SC: What are your comments with the present situation of RU in the fields of education and research?

MAH: I am not fully satisfactory with the position of RU in this regard .Here again we feel funds constriants. In the '80s the then government had decided to establish RU as the Biological Science Centre of Excellence in Bangladesh. But till now it has not been materialized. For this we have not gone ahead as far as we should have.

SC: What do you think about the most positive side of RU?

MAH: There are many positive elements in this university. But the most positive one is that it is an inexpensive campus so that students from middle-income class can also study here. We also can boast of a large auditorium, swimming pull, stadium etc.

SC: What do you think about the most negative side of RU ?

MAH: The productive resources are not getting enough demand. It is decreasing day by day. One more negative aspect is taking classes and exams during vacations. Though that is considered positive but it really decreases the morale.

SC: How do you want to see RU in the future?

MAH: I can visualise a glorious and bright future because in spite of the fact that the university is lacking in many things, it is still going ahead. Most of the course curriculums of the departments are being developed by us. New departments have also been proposed. At the end I believe that RU will be more developed and better funded in the future. This is my dream.

The interviewer is a student of the Dept. of Mass Communication and Journalism, University of Rajshahi.