'SUST VC Loses Right to Hold Office'

Syed Anwar Hossain, a veteran educationist of the country, thinks that the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Sylhet's Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST), Professor Farid Uddin Ahmed has lost his right to stay in position due to various controversial activities. He also thinks that the firm stand of the government is an ominous sign for the education system of the country.

He made the remarks in an exclusive interview with the Shampratik Deshkal.

Syed Anwar Hossain said the students gave an ultimatum. Ultimatums were also given in political movements. Usually, no discussion is held after giving an ultimatum. Another thing is that the Vice-Chancellor of Shahjalal University has lost his moral position. He should step down on his own. The government should also remove him. Because of the media coverage of him, It is found that his educational qualifications are limited. He also criticized the female students of Jahangirnagar University. He has no right to be the Vice-Chancellor after all these things.

He said that when the teachers-students and the local Awami League rejected him with hatred, the government should remove him and appoint a competent and acceptable person as the Vice-Chancellor. I have seen in the past that the government is trying to give these appointments only for political reasons. As a result, such a crisis was created in 4 universities during the tenure of this government.

The veteran educationist, quoting a statement of Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader, said that the vice-chancellor is a member of the hybrid party. Because I have seen in the media that when he was in Dhaka University, he used to be pro-BNP and was the proposer of Zia's chair. If the Awami League supports such a person, then it is an internal matter of the Awami League. I have nothing to say about it. However, the Awami League is not so poor in manpower that he has to be made VC.

How logical is it to bring students to Dhaka for discussion? In response to such a question, he said, the education minister has no position of her own. In the current system and process of government, no minister has any opinion of his or her own. At the behest of the Prime Minister, she said, to discuss with the students. However, respecting the Minister of Education, the discussion should be a final demand of the students, which the VC should resign - if they want. However, I am feeling sorrowful a lot. 16 students have fallen ill while protesting. Even then, I cannot accept the fact that the Vice-Chancellor should be in power in the moral context, the government is also in a state of stagnation - this is an ominous sign for the education system of our country.

Earlier, the students started the agitation on the night of January 13 demanding three points including the resignation of the provost of Sirajunnesa Student Hall. At one stage, on January 16, when the students blocked the Vice-Chancellor, the police went to rescue the Vice-Chancellor and charged batons, rubber bullets and tear gas at the protesting students. Since then the movement has become more intense. About 24 students went on a hunger strike in front of the Vice-Chancellor's residence at around 3.15 pm on Wednesday. On the night of January 20, more than a thousand students marched on the campus. At that time, they chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor. Later, at around 3 pm, the students burnt an effigy of the Vice-Chancellor. The hunger strike is still going on.

Students say the hunger strike will continue until the university's vice-chancellor, proctorial body and student welfare adviser resign. Students on hunger strike should not eat any type of food or liquid food. If a student dies as a result of a hunger strike, the university administration and the vice-chancellor will be held responsible. The students did not break their fast at the request of the doctors at the hospital.