Do not hold Buet students 'hostage'
Nahid asks agitating teachers
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid in parliament yesterday called upon agitating teachers of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) not to hold students 'hostage' by halting academic activities of the public university.
The minister assured agitating teachers of meeting all their 'valid demands' gradually.
“We have already met some demands of Buet Teachers' Association including forming an enquiry committee to find out irregularities in the university and removing the pro-vice chancellor from the head of selection committee,” Nahid said while passage of a bill in parliament.
In absence of the BNP-led opposition, the bill, which was passed, will meet another demand of the Buet teachers. The bill will bring uniformity in the retirement age of public university teachers.
At present, the retirement age of teachers of universities of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Jahangirnagar is 65 years. But the retirement age of teachers of the remaining 29 public universities is 60 years.
Earlier, independent MP Fazlul Azim sharply criticised Nahid for the government's failure to end the standoff situation in Buet centring teachers' various demands including removal of the vice-chancellor.
Azim said the government has politicised different public universities by appointing VCs and pro-VCs there on political consideration.
In reply, Nahid outright rejected the allegation saying after coming to power in 2009, his government did not remove any VC or pro-VC.
On appointment of Dhaka University Prof Anwar Hossain as VC of Jahangirnagar University, Nahid said it was the best solution to bring an end to the deadlock situation at JU.
“He [Prof Anwar] has moved to elect a VC from JU teachers according to the university ordinance,” Nahid added.
Buet Teachers' Association had boycotted all academic activities from April 7 to May 5 demanding resignation of the institution's VC Prof Nazrul Islam and Pro-VC Prof M Habibur Rahman bringing allegations of irregularities against them.
Their protest programme, which was postponed following assurance by the prime minister to look into the matter, resumed again a month later on review of the overall campus situation.
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