DU senate picks 3-member VC panel amid protests

A special session of Dhaka University senate on Saturday nominated a three-member panel for the chancellor to appoint one of them as the university’s next vice-chancellor amid protest from students and boycott by BNP-Jamaat-backed white panel of teachers.
The special session unanimously nominated the three — incumbent VC AAMS Professor Arefin Siddique, treasurer Professor Md Kamal Uddin and ruling Awami League-backed blue panel convener Professor Md Abdul Aziz — uncontested.
The chancellor, also the country’s president, according to Dhaka University Order 1973, will appoint one of the three as the new VC for four years as the tenure of the incumbent VC ends on August 24.
About 30 minutes prior to the special senate session, students without any banner gathered at the entrance to the vice-chancellor’s office on their way to Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban. 
At one stage, they broke the lock of the gate and entered into the VC office premises shouting slogans against senate session terming it illegal as it did not have elected student and registered graduate representatives.
They also demanded immediate election to the university’s central students union, which was due for over two decades. 
The students were locked in a brawl with staff of the university’s proctor’s office and security guards.
Staff of the proctor’s office and teachers resisted the students from entering the VC office while some of them even slapped students including female students, said students.
After 15 minutes of a heated exchange of words between students and teachers, the students were allowed to hold a human chain in front of the VC office.
‘The teachers attacked our democratic movement,’ said Nasir Hossain, marketing third year student, adding, ‘this senate is illegal as it does not have student representatives’.
Arefin Siddique told New Age that he would look into the matter.
Acting proctor Professor AM Amzad said that no teacher attacked any students, rather they barred the students from entering VC office complex after breaking lock of gate.
At the special session of senate, business studies faculty dean Professor Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam proposed the names of the panel and law faculty dean Professor Rahamat Ullah seconded it.
As there was no other panel, Arfein Siddique, who was presiding the session, announced that the panel was unanimously nominated.
A total of 47, out of 105 senate members, were present at the session, said officials. 
They said that 50 positions of DU senate — 25 from registered graduates, five representatives from DU Central Students’ Union, five representatives from research bodies, five principals of affiliated and constituent colleges and 10 teachers from those colleges — are now vacant.
White panel teachers on Friday said that they were boycotting the special senate session for ethical reasons as almost half of the senate posts were vacant.
Arefin Siddique said that anyone could boycott senate session and he would not make any further comments regarding senate sessions.
He on July 17 convened the special senate session.
The Appellate Division on Wednesday stayed the High Court order that earlier stayed the senate’s special session scheduled for July 29.
On Monday, the High Court stayed the DU senate’s session and asked the authorities to explain why convening the senate session for electing the VC panel before electing 50 senate members to fill up the vacancies would not be declared illegal.
The chancellor appointed Arefin as the VC for four years on August 25, 2013, following as VC panel election on the month.
On January 17, 2009, Arefin assumed the office as the 27th VC on a temporary appointment and served a full tenure as an unelected VC.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net