University VCs become ‘reckless’ as no punishment for their irregularities

Around six and a half months ago the University Grants Commission (UGC), in an investigation report submitted to education ministry, said the Rajshahi University vice-chancellor Abdus Sobhan and his administration relaxed the qualifications for recruitment of teachers with an ulterior motive. Through this the VC recruited his daughter, her husband and 32 others as teachers, discarding more qualified candidates.

According to the previous recruitment notice, the candidates did not even have minimum qualifications for applying. That’s why the UGC investigation committee proposed to cancel the appointments and take action against the VC. But neither the appointments were cancelled nor any action taken against Abdus Sobhan, who left the campus completing his tenure as VC last week.

The ministry only served a show-cause notice to the VC around five months ago. Since then, no steps were taken. Amid this, the RU vice-chancellor set another example of corruption on his last day at office by giving ad-hoc appointment to 141 persons including 43 cadres of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.

In another move, the UGC conducted two investigations into corruption and other allegations, including remaining absent at the campus for months, against Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, vice-chancellor of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur. As per the appointment condition, a VC must stay at the campus round the clock. The UGC was forced to investigate into the allegations as teachers and students of the university were jointly demonstrating for long. Finding the corruption allegations against Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah in a development project true, one of the inquiry committees proposed to take action against him. But nothing has been done as yet. On the contrary, the BRU vice-chancellor, in a media conference, said that everything has been done against him at the instigation of education minister Dipu Moni. The tenure of Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah is set to be completed in June.

These two are not the only incidents of corruption allegations and instances of reckless misuse of power by the VCs. Such allegations were brought against a number of VCs of different universities at different times but no legal action has been taken against them except withdrawing them from their posts.

UGC officials said that the VCs could not have dared to commit such corruption if tougher action was taken against them. Most of the vice-chancellors are appointed because of their party loyalty. They use this loyalty to misuse their power. The VCs become “reckless” when they see no action is being taken against them. That’s why they should be brought to book for their crimes but the UGC cannot take any action other than submitting proposals. The government and the education ministry have the jurisdiction to take punitive action.

Currently, there are 49 public universities in Bangladesh. The number of teachers is around 15,000 and students 800,000.

UGC sources said the commission has been conducting or in the process of conducting investigation into administrative and financial corruption allegations against more than a dozen VCs of public universities. Some of the investigations are completed while one or two reports have been submitted. The VCs are from Begum Rokeya University, Khulna Agricultural University, Barishal University, Maulana Bhasani Science and Technology University, Islamic Arabic University, Noakhali Science and Technology University, National University and Pabna Science and Technology University.

UGC sources said a former VC of Barishal University resorted to financial irregularities in the construction of the “First Vice-Chancellor’s Trust Building”. The university’s funds were used to buy 14 decimals land and the building was constructed at a cost of Tk13,152,000. The vice-chancellor, however, claimed that his personal money was also used in the construction work.

The UGC investigation committee finds that no one’s personal money was used in the construction of the trust building. Corruption allegations were also brought against the VC when he was the president of a private college in Dhaka. He has been made a syndicate member of Dhaka University a few days ago.

Khulna Agricultural University vice-chancellor Shahidur Rahman Khan has allegedly given ad-hoc appointment to his son as section officer and recruited his daughter as teacher through a dubious process. He also tried to recruit his wife, an upazila livestock officer, as professor at the university. The education ministry, however, has stopped this recruitment process. The UGC probe committee has been conducting an investigation about 15 corruption allegations in the university.

Concerned people said the quality of education at the universities in Bangladesh have been steadily falling because of lack of financial transparency, accountability and good governance. But the corruption remains unabated because of not taking action against the perpetrators.

One of the former vice-chancellors of Open University allegedly recruited his son relaxing appointment rules but no action was taken against him. He completed his tenure as VC. Another former VC of Kazi Nazrul Islam University recruited his son, who passed from a private university, as teacher. However, his son did not join there in the face of widespread criticisms.

Former vice-chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Khandaker Nasir Uddin was withdrawn in the wake of a student movement because of his corruption. But he has not been brought to book for his crimes.

Prothom Alo investigations revealed that in recent years, only a former VC of Begum Rokeya University was sacked just one day before completing his tenure. Later, he was sent to jail in a corruption case filed by Anti-Corruption Commission. No other exemplary action has been taken against any other VC.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, UGC’s former chairman professor Abdul Mannan said it was a matter a great sadness that many investigations are done but no action is taken. This is not a good precept for establishing the rule of law.

* The report has been published in online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for English edition by Shameem Reza