The New Nation - Internet Edition

Prof. M Zahidul Haque

NOWHERE in the definition of a 'University' one would find the word 'Politics' or the provision of practising politics in the university. The word 'University' is derived from the Latin 'universitas magistrorum et scholarium' means 'community of teachers and scholars'. Scholar means an 'Academic', that is , a person who works as a researcher (usually teacher) at a university. In the United States of America, the term 'Academic' is synonymous with that of the job title 'Professor'. A university is a place for learning, not politics.

Unfortunately in our country, most of the public university teachers are in one way or another associated with or involved in politics. To speak frankly, there would hardly be a teacher whose name is not associated/listed with a political party or group.

Immediately before the present regime, Vice Chancellors in public universities were being appointed on the basis of their adhesion and contributions to the ruling political party. As a result, after getting appointed, a VC had to fulfil many just and unjust demands of his political bosses, teachers and students as well!

Of course it is a fact that the present Caretaker Government is trying its best to free campuses from politics and appointing neutral/less political Professors as VCs of the public universities. But the problem is with the VCs appointed by the last political govt. who are still holding the post. Earlier they had to fulfil the demands of his party members but now of the other one's even unjust demands for remaining in the post! What happend to our university,i.e. Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University(SAU) in the morning of March 02,2008? Everything was as usual. I attended a meeting of the departmental Chairmen in the Dean's room concerning students' application for shifting of the exam date scheduled to begin from March 03. The SAU VC went to attend an academic program in the Chief Advisor's office. But sometime in between 10 to 11 am a news was spreaded in the campus that a Professor on LPR has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of SAU. So far so good. VC will be appointed by the authority, the new one will join while the outgoing one will leave. The post of a VC is highly respectable and the person who is holding this position deserves due respect and honour from his colleagues and students. If the outgoing VC had done any irregularity, there is authority to take proper action. But as the news entered into the campus, group of teachers and students started celebrations by demonstrating dominance. Group students brought band party and began beating drum breaking academic atmosphere. A huge number of flowers were bought to welcome the newly appointed VC who was reportedly coming from the Ministry of Education with the order.

But as ill luck would have it, the Ministry officials didn't act favourably because the rule does not permit them to issue the order in favour of a Professor who had already gone to LPR two months back!

No,I am not saying or I wouldn't be that much presumptuous to say that the Professor under reference is inefficient or incapable of becoming the VC. In reality, once in 2001 soon after the then BAI was declared SAU, he was also appointed VC by the then political govt. However, due to bad luck, the then Caretaker Govt. cancelled his appointment as it was not done fulfilling the requirement of the 'Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University Act 2001' Incidentally, the Professor who was supposed to be the new VC of SAU is from my department. As currently I am the Chairman of the department, some of my colleagues become restless and was asking me to get ready with flowers to welcome the new VC. Then I asked the Section Officer to request one of my senior colleagues to do the needful. Accordingly he directed the SO to arrange to re-print the previous 'Manpattra'. The SO informed me that our departmental computer was used to produce/print that 'letter of felicitation' which is yet to be presented!

During these periods, a number of my students from different places/districts called me on my cell phone asking what was the fact? One student seriously opposed the act of harassing the VC who was still the VC of SAU.(In fact, the SAU received the MOE's order by fax on March 02 at 8:45 pm)

Meanwhile one student of mine sent me a SMS which rather disappointed me. Here I would like to reproduce the text still saved on my cell :

"Dear sir, it's my pleasure 2 u 4 helping Prof.(name withheld) 2 join as vice chancellor of SAU, through which our long cherished demand 've fulfilled. (name withheld), Ex-student, SAU."

Perhaps now is the appropriate time the Government should initiate a dialogue with national political leaders,academics and others to explore the prospect and possibility of banning politics on the campus, if not for ever but atleast for a few years in the greater interest of the nation.

[Professor M Zahidul Haque is the Chairman, Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka]