The New Nation - Internet Edition

Professor M Zahidul Haque

In protest against unjust and whimsical activities of some executive members, four teachers holding executive committee posts including Vice President of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Teachers' Association (SAUTA) have resigned on Monday (21/01/2008)

The dispute erupted when some highly ambitious, self-seeking members of SAU Teachers' Association tried to stage a human-chain without such programme being passed in the general meeting. It may be mentioned here that the SAUTA in a recent general meeting took a resolution to issue an ultimatum to the Vice Chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University (SAU), Prof. Dr. A M Farooque fixing him a time upto January 17 for taking necessary measures towards disclosing and implementing the findings of the Inquiry Committee formed earlier to investigate into the alleged irregularities by some teachers/officers of SAU in the admission of 2004. On Thursday afternoon the VC had a meeting with the executive body of SAUTA wherein he informed them that as per the advice of the University Legal Adviser he called a meeting of the Syndicate on 31st January to submit the inquiry report for further action. The President and GS of SAUTA had reportedly agreed inspite of their request to call the Syndicate meeting on January 26. However, the VC told them he would prefer January 31st as there will be Biswa Ijtima from January 25. But some motivated teachers undermining the general teachers' sentiments compelled some of their colleagues to participate in their human chain formation programme. But as the turn out was too poor, only 35 teachers out of nearly 140, the human chain staging could not be materialised successfully.

Meanwhile, the general teachers organised a meeting yesterday which was presided over by Prof. Md. Shamsul Hoque. The meeting expressed grave concern about the impetuosity of some teachers and condemn the unjust activities. The meeting urged upon the authority to take stern action against those who are out to create anarchy and instability on the campus. They also called upon the authority to award exemplary punishment as per law to the person(s) responsible for creating anarchy and in interrupting congenial academic atmosphere.

Later the teachers present in the meeting met the waiting journalists and brief them about the situation and answer to their questions. A 'Press Release' signed by nearly 70 teachers were distributed among the reporters. The teachers at one stage of their press briefing requested the Cretaker Government to appoint next VC from among the eligible senior Professors of SAU, of course after the present VC completes his term.

The whole chain of events only testifies that the teachers in most public funded Universities prefer to act in a certain political party line ignoring their very basic duties and responsibilities of teaching the students. The most unfortunate part of the politico-game is that there is no sign of an end to it even in the distant future.

(Professor M Zahidul Haque, Chairman, Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka)