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Students victim of teachers’ politics

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Joni Alam:
The academic atmosphere at Jahangirnagar University remains disrupted over the weeks due to  movement  of   a  section  of  the teachers for  removal  of   the  Vice Chancellor.
The teachers already divided  sharply along political lines- one group supporting the ruling party and the other toeing the opposition - have taken contradictory   position on   the controvesrial issues  relating  to academic  and  disciplinary  matters.
As  a part  of   fresh  five-day  programme, a larger  section  of the  teachers under the  banner  of  "Sikkhok Samaj"  (teachers community) on Monday  observed  a  day-long  hunger  strike  on  the campus  demanding  implementation  of  their  eight-point  demands.
They demands include judicial probe  into the  recent  killing  of a student, Zubair Ahmed, bringing an  end  of  the  campus  violence, cancellation  of  mass appointment  of teachers  without  requisite qualifications, withdrawal  of  measures  to commercialise  the education by enhancing  various academic fees and awarding punishment  to  former  proctor  Prof Arzu Mia  who  had  publicly assaulted  Teachers Association  President Professor AA Mamun.  The  demand  also  include  cancellation  of   all elections  held  for  selecting  VC panel, deans, senate  and  syndicate  members.  
The teachers continued their  movement from  January 11  protesting  undue  favour to   ruling party  supporting  teachers and  students,  corruption  in  academic  and financial matters and  irregularities  in  appointing  teachers  and  officials in  the  university.
Convener   of  the  Sikkhak Samaj,    Prof. Dr Nasim Akhter Hossain,  the  Vice  Chancellor  being  a  supporter  of  the ruling  party  has  lost  moral right to  hold the  prestigious  position  by  downgrading  the image  of  the  university  making  the  appointment  teachers  having  lower  academic  calibers  but  mere  political  tag  of  the ruling  party.  
In  38 years of  Jahangirnagar Univeristy,  a total  of  350 new  teachers  were  recruited  while  the  president  regime  recruited  195 teachers  in  three  years. But this  time  the  new  teachers were found  to  be  of  less caliber and  ruling party loyalist. Teachers  were  recruited  in larger  number  ahead  of  the  elections  of  different  academic  and  administrative  bodies, alleged  the  Prof. Dr Nasim Akhter.
She  threatened  to  launch  tougher  programme  if  the  authorities  failed  to  meet  their  eight-point  demand.
The  agitating  teachers  are also demanding  return of   200 students  who had been ousted  from  the campus  by  the  rival groups.
However,  the pro-government  group of teachers  stood in support  of  the Vice Chancellor    urging  him  to  go for  action  against  the  trouble makers.
Meanwhile, the university authorities appealed to  the  teachers community  to  help restore  congenial academic atmosphere  accusing  a section  of  the teachers of  trying  to create volatile  situation on the campus.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Shariff Enamul Kabir   said  some  teachers  were  trying to  derive  political  benefit  out of   the killing  of  Zubair  Ahmed,  a  student  of  English Department  on January 9.
He also challenged his opponents to show proof that he had  one  something wrongfully  or  in  irregular  manner  opr  in violation  of  the  university  rules  and regulations.
However,  the  opponents  are  holding  demonstration  by  installing  a  "Upachasrya Prattyakkhan Monch"  (  Vice-chancellor rejection platform"   since  April 1. They put the VC's  office  under  lock and  key  on Monday.