Appointment of Jamaat man as principal sparks agitation

Students marching streets of Jaldhaka on Thursday protesting appointment of a Jamaat leader as principal of Jaldhaka Degree College. PHOTO: STAR

A strike was observed in all educational institutions at Jaldhaka upazila headquarters on Thursday at the call of the Alliance in protest against appointment of Fazlul Haque as the principal.

The Alliance also brought out a procession held a rally at the Zero Point.

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It will hold another rally at the same venue tomorrow and go for tougher agitation programmes including 'mass hunger strike' and hartal to press the demand.

A huge contingent of police was deployed at the college during Thursday's strike.

Speakers at Thursday's rally bitterly criticised local Jamaat lawmaker Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury for appointment of Fazlul Haque as principal of Jaldhaka Degree College.

Mizanur Rahman is chairman of governing bodies of Jaldhka Degree College and eight other institutions, sources said.

The speakers alleged that the lawmaker is replacing freedom fighter teachers with Jamaat men in different educational institutions in the upazila.

They also brought against him allegations of corruption and misappropriation of development funds and grants.

The post of principal of Jaldhaka Degree College fell vacant following resignation of Md Rahmattullah on August 25, 2003 on charges of irregularities brought against him by the college governing body.

After resignation, he filed a case with a court in Nilphamari alleging that the Jamaat-led governing body hatched conspiracies and forced him to resign as he is not a Jamaat supporter.

He also sought an injunction on appointment of a new principal but the court on April 26 this year rejected his prayer.

On April 29, test for selection of a principal was held at Jaldhaka Degree College. All senior teachers boycotted the test as there was an allegation that the governing body had already decided to select pro-Jamaat teacher Fazlul Haque as the new principal.

The five-member selection committee included Carmichael University College Principal Md Nurun Nabi (as national university representative), Nilphamari Government College Principal Mosaarraf Hossain (as representative of DG, Higher Education).

During the alleged mock test, students of the college threw brick bats at the principal's office. Police rushed there and brought the situation under control, leaving several students injured.

Talking to newsmen later, a senior teacher --Anisur Rahman Chowdhuryclaimed that majority of the 5-member recruitment committee belonged to Jamaat.

Besides Jamaat MP Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, vice-principal of the college Mazaharul Haque, who is a member of the selection committee, is a 'Rokon' (senior leader) of Jamaat and another member, Azizul Islam, is also a Jamaat leader and a faithful follower of the lawmaker, he alleged.

When contacted Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury said the recruitment process was 'clean' and there was no irregularity as representatives of National University and the DG were present.