Sorry plight of DU students and an ineffective administration May 25, 2008
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Dhaka University, EDUCATION, University.Tags: Dhaka University, University
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The daily Star publishes a report on the problem of accommodation of the DU students and prinited a picture whcih indicates a sorry state of our children in the resident halls of the university. (more…)
University teachers are released: politics free campus should be the target December 10, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION.Tags: , University
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4 Rajshahi University teachers who were convicted for 2 years in a court have been released from jail on being pardoned by the President of Bangladesh.
The gesture would be welcomed by the academicians, students and public in general. At the same time they will expect that other teachers who are behind the bar will be treated liberally and be released soon.
But that shouldn’t be the end of the story.
What any conscious people will expect that the university campus will be free from politics and academic exercise would be the prime objective of the students and teachers of the campus.
Nobody would contradict the need of exercise of free thinking but one must not confuse the free thinking with the partisan politics.
We hope that the performance of the students and the teachers will be judged on their merit and academic record, not on the party affiliation.
And we hope to see our universities in the ranking of the best universities of the region.
An ordinary citizen
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Reaction to jail sentences of university teachers December 7, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION.Tags: , Rajshahi University, University, university violence
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Various group of people expressed their reaction to the verdict given to the university teachers for breaking the emergency rules.
Jurists & Lawyers:
A retired justice from the Appellate Division of Supreme Court. Golam Rabbani said that the judgment suffers from a lack of strict scrutiny of the oral evidence inasmuch as the conviction seems to be based on oral evidence of single witness.
Dr. Shahdin Malik, a teacher turned Advocate of the High Court opined that the judgment does not indicate even-handed, impartial or neutral enforcement of rules but targeted persecution.
Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairnman Khandaker Mahbub Hussain said that the judgement has sent the message to all that none is above the law. It has also sent the message to all teachers and students to abide by the Law. He also said that if the convicted teachers think that they have been punished in unjust way, they will of course get justice from the higher court upon appealing against the judgment.
Academicians:
Professor Tajmari SA Islam, acting president of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association(DUTA) said sentencing the four academics frustrated all the teachers and they are now worried about the fate of the detained DU teachers.
Former DUTA president Arefin Siddique said that the jail terms have been a blow to the hopes of Dhaka University teachers who are optimistic following assurances by the government and the university administration, that their detained colleagues will be released soon.
DU Vice chancellor Professor MA Faiz was sounded hopeful about the release of his four teachers.
Family members of the RU convicted teachers expressed their helplessness for the future and the family members of the DU teachers expressed their frustration over the verdict.
Students of the Mass Communication Deparatment of Rajshahi University met with the VC and expressed their demand and stated collecting signatures of the teachers and students to press demand for the release of the convicted teachers.
Apart from these, different political parties and other organizations expressed their reactions to the verdict.
Editorials are written on the issue.
An ordinary citizen
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Post script: 7 Nov 07 11 pm BDT
DU teachers stages a silent protest: A group of DU teachers staged a silent protest yesterday against the imprisonment.
About 40 teachers stood in front of Aparajeyo Bangla for half an hour. They displayed placard demanding their varius demands. Prof MM Aksh has announched the program on wednesday.
Teachers of Social Science Faculty urged the government in a resolution to immediately release the detained teachers and students.
Students of Mass Communication Department boycotted the classes yesterday. But they involved in a altercation with the teachers of the department. The teachers said they will maintain separate program for the release of the teachers. (Source: daily Star)
aoc
Dhaka University violence(3): coming out of the curfew August 23, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Dhaka University, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, University.Tags: curfew, Dhaka University, University
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The Curfew imposed in Dhaka and other 6 divisional towns is entering into the 3rd day.
2nd day began in a relaxed state. People started to move to their offices and businesses. Many vehicles were found running on the streets. But the police and law enforcers became active in the mid morning and started announcing that offices and businesses are closed and asked the public to return to their houses.
Dhaka University violence (2): after developments August 23, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Dhaka University, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, University.Tags: Army, curfew, Dhaka University, University
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11-30 pm BDT 22nd August, 2007
Though Authority at the highest level of the Govertment expressed
[courtesy: the pictures are taken from daily Inquilab]
sorrow for the incident at the DU campus, the Army camp has been removed as per demand of the students and Govt has formed a Judicial Committee with a retired Judge in the chair to enquire into the matter, the violence continued into the 2nd day in the sorrunding areas of the University and sometimes deep into the city. Reports of clashes were also coming from other university campus and different institutions of the country.
On the streets, many young men also joined with the students the clashes took ugly and violent look – hundreds of vehicles damaged, many were torched, they fought piece-meal battle with the police at different areas, many were injured but none reported death.
Dhaka University violence: what does it indicate? August 21, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Dhaka University, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS, University.Tags: Army, Dhaka University, University
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Violent clashes erupted yesterday and which is continuing today in the Dhaka University Campus between the Law Enforcing Agencies and the students.
The clash started on a triffle matter on the sideline of a football match in the university field between few students and army personals who had a camp in the nearby Gymnesium.
It is reported that the Army abused and beat the students; in protest the students brought out processions; police intervened, more students pure in; they threw bricks and stones to the police; police fired teargases and baton charged the students. The campus ttrnasformed into a battle field. Police later raided into the residential halls and beat the students. More than 100 students, many policemen and few teachers were injured in the clash. Many were admitted in the nearby Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Private universities, irregularities and UGC August 10, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE.Tags: Private universities, UGC, University
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Ministry of Education of Bangladesh on recommendation of UGC(University Grant Commission) is taking some steps to rectify the irregularities in the field of Private University education. They have already stopped 56 local centers of Foreign Universities and have taken decision to stop the 100 outer campuses of the universities.
With the promulgation of the Private University Act in 1992, private universities started to grow like kindergartens in our country. The organizers have taken the advantage of the loopholes of regulations in the Act. Though the Act was revised in 1998, but with no significant change. The growth of private universities blooms during both of the BNP regimes due to slackness of the regulatory bodies. They may also be credited for giving private universities a commercial entity.
Many industrialists as an individual or as a group started the private universities. They became chairman or members of the Board of Directors in the style of the companies or became members of the Syndicate to dictate the rules and regulations of the university. Earning profit became more important than imparting knowledge to this group of investors. Private universities grew in our country like that of Industry to earn money.
Despite many complaints and evidence of irregularities, the past political governments particularly the last BNP Government could not take any major steps due to political compromise and underhand negotiations.
The present Caretaker Government has given its attention to the private university after coming to the power. It is heard that private university act is under review.
We hope that the CG will
a) rectify and upgrade the private university act
b) strengthen the UGC to have complete hold on the universities including the private universities
c) will make the Accounts of the private transparent and
d)let the private universities grow as academic institutions, not as a private enterprise.
Bdoza
Post script:
Illegal private universities bid to attract admission seekers despite ban [DS]
APUB against Private University ordinance [DS]
3 private universities submitted rejoinder [DS]
Class abstension: DU teachers creating a bad precedence July 21, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Dhaka University, EDUCATION, POLITICS, University.Tags: Dhaka University, University
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DU Teachers Association in a meeting decided to wear black badges and abstain classes for half day in protest against the arrest of Sk Hasina and ‘harassment’ of Begum Khaleda Zia by the Government.
Only 223 members out of 4000 teachers were present in the meeting under the chairmanship of Dr. Sadrul Amin, who himself is saying that he does not agree with the program to abstain from the classes.
While the country is going through a political transformation, we the ordinary citizen expected a more prudent step from the teachers of the highest seat of education of the nation. If they feel concern, they could better demand for free and fair trail of the accused. That would have been more dignified for their post and position. (more…)
UGC, public universities and 1973 ordinance June 3, 2007
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION.Tags: UGC, University
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UGC (University Grant Commission) chairman Professor Najrul Islam said in an interview that 1973 university ordinance may be amended to discipline the university teaching(bdnews24.com).
The ordinary citizen has little expertise on the 1973 ordinance.
But what he cannot overlook is the fact that these public universities which are run by the exchequer of the Government are not fulfilling the expectation of the people.
Both the teachers and students are markedly politically divided.Both are engaged more in non-academic activities than academic exercise.
The courses are lagging behind their schedule. The curriculum is interrupted by many non-academic events.
The teachers are divided in colours. They are more busy to establish their political doctrine than to give lessons to the students.
A leader of the teachers finds no fault in doing politics himself and declaring it publicly but fell no shame in preventing a Nobel Laurette to come to the campus as the convocation speaker in a university where he himself was a student.
Teachers are more interested in taking classes in the private universities whereas classes are missed days together in his regular university. They also remain engaged in their private assignments during office hours.
A good amount of the energy of the teachers are also used to communicate with the student political wing.
Teachers are selected on the basis of political linkage rather than merit. Their promotions are also considered in the same way.
Many teachers are going abroad for higher studies and are not coming back in time though their service is remaining intact.
All these privileges they are enjoying in the name of autonomy and independence.
The ordinary citizen is not against the autonomy of these public universities but there must be a fine balance between responsibility, accountability and autonomy.
Bdoza
Bangladesh
