The Rajshahi University (RU) authorities have initiated a process to recruit 10 teachers for the Computer Science and Technology (CST) department allegedly resorting to forgery and without approval of the CST Department Planning Committee (CSTPC), causing an outcry among the faculty members.

Talking to newsmen yesterday four of the five members of the CSTPC protested the move terming it unnecessary and irregular and blamed the department Chairman Khwaza Zakaria Chisti for the scheming. They said they would complain to the vice chancellor and launch a movement subsequently demanding cancellation of the recruitment process.

The four CSTPC members --AKM Akhtar Hossain, Somlal Das, M Nazmul Huda and M Abdul Alim --

on September 5 also had submitted a written complaint to the RU registrar seeking immediate action to stop the recruitment.

If the recruitment were done, it would intensify the hostility among teachers of the department, a senior CSTPC member, Akhtar Hossain, told The Daily Star yesterday, as "Fresh recruitment will negate the seniority of some teachers appointed on a temporary basis three years ago. Besides, it will also breach the authority of the planning committee," Hossain explained.

Sources said the CSTPC in its

August-2 meeting decided not to

recruit any more teachers before

regularising the services of 13

teachers who have been working for the last three years on a temporary basis.

But, Chisti, the fifth member of the CSTPC, differed with the decision and in a letter falsely informed the vice chancellor that he alone decided to recruit 10 teachers as rest of the planning committee members were absent in the August 2 meeting, the four CSTPC members alleged.

Based on the Chisti's letter dated August 8, the RU Syndicate in its August 22 meeting ordered publication of advertisements for the recruitment.

The four CSTPC members in their written complaint to the registrar said any recruitment was unnecessary in the department as there is already one teacher for every 10 students and as it would only enrage the temporarily hired teachers.

They also alleged last year six teachers were recruited in the department violating rules in the same way and later it was found that the six were relatives of some proruling coalition teachers and the department chairman.

The six teachers appointed last year include Shersedul Arefin, nephew-in-law of Chisti, Quamrul Hasan, son-in-law of pro-BNP Prof Ibrahim Hossain, ANK Noman, brother of pro-Jamaat teacher NK Zaman, Moksedul Haq, son of Prof Mozammel Haque of Physics department, and Anisuzzaman

Siddik, son-in-law of Open University Pro-VC Prof Abdur Razzak.

When contacted, Chisti denied the allegations, saying, "I did what I found to be right," and advised The Daily Star to contact the RU registrar for information on the issue.

RU Registrar Prof Abdus Salam said he received complaints from the CSTPC members and the university authorities would look into the matter.