DU teacher on viva board despite his ban for irregularities
SIRAJUL ISLAM RUBEL
Despite being barred from taking part in any exam-related activities, a Dhaka University professor will sit as a member of a recruitment board tomorrow, sparking controversy and resentment among his peers.
DU Syndicate on January 30, 2022, barred Prof Bahauddin, chairman of the Persian language and literature department, from taking part in any exam-related activities for three years for his involvement in tampering with students’ exam marks.
However, in July of this year, Bahauddin was cleared to be one of the five board members for the viva exam of two lecturer candidates.
The clearance came from the university Law Adviser Amit Talukder, who had earlier ruled Bahauddin ineligible for the recruitment board, citing the syndicate’s decision, the university’s highest decision-making body.
Some syndicate members now say the law adviser’s shift in stance contradicts the syndicate’s decision.
“The viva exam for recruitment also falls under the category of exams. So, according to the syndicate’s decision, Bahauddin should not be eligible to sit as a member of the recruitment board,” said a DU syndicate member who preferred not to be named.
A teacher of the Persian language and literature department, also wishing anonymity, alleged that Bahauddin’s controversial inclusion on the board was done to manipulate the recruitment process.
He also alleged that the outgoing Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman forced the legal adviser to change his opinion in an attempt to appoint a candidate of his choosing as a lecturer of Persian language and literature.
Earlier on May 15, DU Pro-Vice-Chancellor ASM Maksud Kamal sought the law adviser’s opinion after receiving a letter that questioned Bahauddin’s name on the recruitment board.
The next day, the law adviser opined that Bahauddin could not be a member of the recruitment board as per the decision of the university syndicate.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the letter.
However, on July 5, the law adviser changed his initial opinion and cleared Bahauddin to be one of the viva board members as the department chairman.
According to sources, the VC called the law adviser and ordered him to change his opinion.
Speaking to this newspaper, DU Law Adviser Amit Talukder said, “I revised my initial opinion as the teacher recruitment tests don’t fall under the university’s definition of exams.”
When asked about the specific provision of the exam-related guideline that made him revise this initial opinion, Talukder declined to comment and suggested that this correspondent speak to the VC in this regard.
When contacted, outgoing DU VC Md Akhtaruzzaman said, “They [those who are raising the allegations] have freedom to express their thoughts, and I respect that. However, I personally don’t believe it’s necessary to respond to every question. What I will say is that we have followed the university guidelines, and the professor [Bahauddin] is on the selection board as he is the department chairman.”
Besides Bahauddin, the recruitment board includes Pro-VC ASM Maksud Kamal, Faculty of Arts Dean Abdul Bashir, and professors KM Saiful Islam Khan and Tarique Ziaur Rahman Sirazi of the Persian Language and Literature department.
As per official papers, 36 candidates have applied for the two lecturer posts at the Department of Persian Language and Literature.