VC shake-up hits public universities
The government has appointed new vice-chancellors (VCs) to seven public universities, including Dhaka University (DU), in a major reshuffle carried out in a single day.
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon confirmed the appointments at a press conference at the ministry in Dhaka on Monday (16 March), adding that formal notifications will be issued shortly.
Professor ABM Obaidul Islam, the current VC of Bangladesh Open University (BOU), has been appointed as the new VC of DU. A professor in DU’s Department of Physics, Obaidul replaces Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan, who resigned on 22 February.
Prof Mohammad Al-Forkan, founder chairman and faculty member of the Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology at Chittagong University (CU), has been named CU’s VC. He also serves as the senior vice-president of the CU Jatiotabadi Teachers’ Forum.
Prof Md Faridul Islam of the Department of Marketing at Rajshahi University (RU) has been appointed as the university’s VC. He has previously served as the general secretary of Zia Parishad.
Prof Rais Uddin, a teacher in the Department of Islamic Studies at Jagannath University (JnU), has been named the new VC of JnU.
Rais, affiliated with the pro-BNP White Panel, is president of the JnU Teachers’ Association and a member of the university Syndicate.
Prof Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, dean of DU’s Faculty of Arts, has been appointed as VC of Bangladesh Open University.
A former proctor at DU, he has also served two terms as general secretary of the Bangladesh Asiatic Society.
Prof Md Nurul Islam, Pro-VC of National University, has been made VC of Dhaka Central University, recently established through the amalgamation of seven government colleges in the capital.
Prof Md Masud has been appointed as the new VC of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET).
Meanwhile, Prof Mamun Ahmed, the current Pro-VC of DU, will assume the role of chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC). Earlier today, Prof SMA Faiz resigned from the post of UGC chairman, citing health reasons.
