VC’s sons, niece get job, wife’s vehicle on hire

Two sons of professor Md Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, vice chancellor of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University in Dhaka, currently work as officers at his university with the younger one joining as section officer four months ago, while seven more officials of the university, who were from the VC’s district Narsingdi, also joined in various posts at the time. The VC even rented out his wife's vehicle to a university project for a year.

Allegations also surface against the VC of providing work to a contractor firm with no experience to build a greenhouse on the campus at a cost of 120 million taka. The contractor firm faced no action and was paid their bills. When the government directed everyone to maintain austerity to reduce public expenditure, the VC spent 3 million taka to beatify his residence at the time. Besides, details on income and expenditure on organising the agriculture cluster admission test held two years ago are yet to be submitted.

A Prothom Alo investigation as well as reviews of documents revealed these allegations.

Teachers and officials at the university said the VC continues in irregularities, misusing his power. As a result, meritorious and higher CGPA (cumulative grade point average) scoring students were not recruited as teachers and officials at the university, while blessed by the VC candidates with low CGPA job the jobs. As the VC preferred his district, candidates from other areas were deprived, affecting the university activities. VC professor Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan, however, told Prothom Alo that competent candidates have gotten the job at the university and he has recruited teachers and officials with honesty.

Professor Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan had been the pro-VC at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka since 2012 before joining the office of the VC on 17 November 2020. His elder son, Abdullah Hil Kafi, currently a deputy chief firm superintendent, joined the post of assistant firm caretaker in 2010. His niece, Sazia Afrin also joined at the university as a computer operator at the time and she is currently a section officer at the pathology department.

The VC’s younger, Hamim Al Rashid was appointed as a section officer in December 2023 and he is currently posted at the marine, fisheries and oceanology department. The largest pool of teacher recruitment took place in December throughout his tenure with a total of 55 teachers in various positions including lecturers and assistant lecturers getting appointments, and seven of them were from the VC’s district, Narsigndi. They are; Nazmus Saqib of fisheries biology and genetics department, Mostafizur Rahman of agricultural engineering department, Zahid Hasan of aquatic environment and resource management department, Zannatun Nesa of agroforestry and environmental science department, Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan of agronomy department, Rashedul Haque of marine fisheries biology and genetics department and Hosne Ara of genetics and plant breeding department.

Asked, VC Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan told Prothom Alo, “Not a single person from Narsingdi was recruited during the tenure of the previous VC despite their qualifications and they applied this time. Since there are qualified for the job, I recruited them.” On the requirement of his son, he said, “Like others, my son applied for the job following all rules and he is qualified for the position. So, he has gotten the job following all conditions.”

Saima Bila Setu obtained a CGPA of 3.97 out of 4 at her graduation and a CGPA of 4 out of 4 at post-graduation. Yet, she could not join as a lecturer at the agriculture extension and information system since another one with a CGPA of 3.7 was selected for this post. Saima Bila Setu told Prothom Alo, “I did not have lobbying. So, I did not get the job.”

Nazneen Ahmed was the topper among the candidates who applied for the agronomy department, but Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan was appointed in the department. He claimed he got the job due to his qualifications.

The University Grants Commission received complaints on this recruitment pool as well as on tender and financial irregularities. The regulatory body took the matter into consideration and sent a letter to the registrar of the university and asked to explain on the allegations in the next five working days. The Commission also directed the authorities concerned to stop raising any proposal on the university’s running activities at the syndicate until the allegations related to the recruitment are settled.

The letter signed by the commission’s director (public university management department) Mohammad Zaminur Rahman said the Commission will inform the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University about its decision after receiving a written statement along with evidence on the allegations from the university authorities.

The VC also rented out a personal vehicle of his wife for the Further Development of Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University (Phase-II-1st Amended) Project. Documents showed 110,000 taka was paid through a private firm MS Version to rent the vehicle every month. People concerned said the vehicle was hired for a year from June 2022.

It has been learned from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) that the vehicle (Dhaka Metro Ga-37-4816) was registered with his wife Zinnatun Nahar, who died in 2023. Later the vehicle was registered with the VC’s name.

Regarding this, the VC said, “We gave the vehicle to that company and they applied for supplying vehicles to the university. What can I do here as the VC” I see nothing wrong here.” MS Version owner Moniruzzman, however, said, he has no rent-a-car business and he mainly does export-import business.

The VC showed an expenditure of 3 million taka for beautification of his residence during the coronavirus pandemic. A review of the documents showed renovation work cost 900,000 taka; door and window renovation and purchase of curtains at about 700,000 taka; two television sets 232,000 taka; instalment of air conditioners at VC bungalow at about 244,000 taka; purchase of refrigerator and washing machine at 257,000 taka; purchase of furniture at about 500,000 taka and purchase of electric equipment for bungalow cost 242,000 taka.

Regarding this, the VC said, “I did not spend this money and it did not come to my pocket either. It was spent by the university.”

A greenhouse was constructed at the university two years ago at a cost of 120 million taka aimed to conduct research by students. Students cannot use it now and teachers said the facility remains locked all the time and mercenaries are getting damaged. Besides, work quality was so poor and the facility will no longer be of use in future.

Contractor firm Western Engineering Private Limited got the work, but they had no prior experience of greenhouse construction. A five-member committee led by the university treasurer professor Nazrul Islam was formed in June 2023 to probe into irregularities and faults in the construction of the greenhouse. The committee filed a report after an investigation of six months. The probe found 36 pillars were installed instead of a total of 56 pillars while the facility entirely depends on electric light instead of daylight, which is not practical at all. Besides, machinery and equipment were not provided as per the tender and work order, and the report recommended taking action against the contractor as per the rules.

No action was taken against the contractor and all bills were paid out instead. Regarding this, investigation committee convener Nazrul Islam told Prothom Alo that the greenhouse work was offered to a useless firm that had not experienced related to it, Work quality was the worst and now 120 million taka bear no fruit.

The VC, however, said, “The firm that got the work dodged us; they were inexperienced, but I was aboard while bills were paid. So, I cannot take the responsibility.”

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director, Iftekharuzzaman said the VC cannot avoid the responsibility of appointing an inexperienced contractor. He told Prothom Alo, “Here money has been wasted. Irregularities and corruption are taking place at all universities, but we are unfortunate that it goes unpunished in the country.”

VC Shahidur Rashid Bhuiyan got involved in multidimensional irregularities, Iftekharuzzaman said adding, that such nepotism at an institution like the university is unacceptable, and recruiting his son at his university raises questions.