Dr. Shibli Ahmed Khan :
A careful examination and contemplation are necessary regarding the recent appointments made inside the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the make-up of the caretaker government.
The new chairman of the UGC is Dr. SMA Faiz, former chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission. Because of his stellar academic record and diverse professional credentials, the appointment has been largely hailed as a positive progression.
Nonetheless, worries about favoritism and nepotism continue, especially because the University Grants Commission (UGC) has named Dhaka University professors Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan and M Anwar Hossen as new members.
The appointees are part of the University of Dhaka’s coterie that has long controlled different government projects and institutions such as the Security Exchange Commission (SEC) and the UGC.
The Function and Standing of Public Universities
Public universities in Bangladesh have long been criticized for their tumultuous campuses, shameful political affiliations, and stagnant teaching practices.
Recently, a public university faced criticism for keeping over 40 torture chambers in its residence halls supervised by teachers, where ordinary students were physically assaulted for opposing the ruling party’s student arm, the Chhatra League. A student leader’s “celebration” of 100 rapes and the death of Abrar Fahad in 2019 brought attention to the appalling conditions of public universities on a global level.
Over 75 students have died at the University of Dhaka alone since 1971, according to a news source!
Even though they draw some of the best students in the nation, public institutions frequently function as nothing more than credential factories, offering little in the way of educational enrichment.
The majority of pupils are autodidact, i.e., self-driven and self-taught. Compared to their peers at private colleges like American International University-Bangladesh, BRAC University, East-West University, and North South University, teachers at public universities spend a lot less time in the classroom or lab with their students.
By placing their graduates who share similar views in teaching positions, public universities perpetuate unethical activities such as discrimination, cronyism, and nepotism.
The Promises of the Interim Government
The transitional administration has promised to end discriminatory policies and advance meritocracy. Nonetheless, several recent selections appear to go against the spirit of the movement that gave the country’s leadership to the Caretaker administration.
The public’s perception of the government’s commitment to real reform is still cautiously optimistic but watchful. People are observing that the UGC members and its mentors are members of the old tribe.
Regardless of a person’s gender, religion, or institutional affiliation, qualified candidates should be appointed to key positions in the caretaker administration.
The government ought to give up looking for competent candidates down the sameold rabbit hole. Instead, it should look into private institutions including private universities, which are home to a plethora of highly skilled and motivated individuals including brilliant students, graduates, administrators, and managers.
Conclusion
While leadership changes in Bangladesh offer a glimmer of hope, the government must ensure that appointments are based on merit and not institutional affiliations. The legacy of nepotism and discrimination must be addressed to build a fair and just society – a sustainable Bangladesh.
( Author is a freelance writer
and researcher.)