Overcoming almost a month of stalemate, class activities in the educational institutions are about to resume tomorrow, Sunday. Though earlier it was announced that the educational institutions will reopen on 7 August, the educational activities could not be resumed fully due to different reasons. While, the educational activities were going on in some educational institutions, the presence of students was very low.
The problem in reopening the educational institution is the resignation of their authorities after the change of government. The incident of resignation at the top level including vice-chancellors and pro vice-chancellors appointed during the last government’s regime especially in the public and autonomous universities has pushed them in front of new challenges.
According to education ministry sources, as many as 19 vice-chancellors, 11 pro vice-chancellors and 5 treasurers have resigned so far. Out of them, resignation letters of 16 people have been accepted already. The rest of them are in the process of being accepted. There are total 55 public and autonomous universities running in the country.
It’s difficult to fill up these vacant posts within such a short period of time. Majority of the teachers in all the public universities are divided politically. Awami League had an absolute dominance in university administration till now. And, the BNP supporters have started showing up in their absence. In this situation, there is a fear of the alleged politicisation and favoritism in the universities repeating again.
There are issues regarding students’ seats in residential halls as well. Till now the pro-government student organisation had an undisputed control, common students protested against which alongside leaders of ‘Students Against Discrimination’ platform.
According to concerned people, it will be difficult to restore the normal environment of education in the universities until new people are appointed in these administrative posts. A top official of Dhaka University told Prothom Alo that the process of accommodating legal students in the residential halls is going on now.
There are also incidents of reshuffle in the posts of principals and head masters in colleges and high schools respectively. There’s no problem if anyone resigns on their own accord. But it’s extremely unfortunate if someone is appointed or removed from a post by dint of force.
The pro-government student organisation exercised control everywhere during the last government’s regime. Their leaders and activists have gone into hiding after the change of government. But the administration in halls has to be hundred per cent neutral in order to ensure safety of all the students irrespective of their views and party affiliation after the universities have been reopened.
In this case, the statement of one of the central coordinators of ‘Students Againt Discrimination’ Sarjis Alam sounds reassuring to us at least to some extent. He said, “Our revolution was indeed against the 16 years of torture and oppression, infringement of freedom of speech, as well as corruption and suppression. We wanted a Bangladesh where everyone can speak their mind freely, express their opinions irrespective of their ideologies and work accordingly – these freedoms will be there.”
If anyone from amongst the Chhatra League leaders and activists commits a crime, no one would have any objection to even taking legal measures against them. But it is the university administration that has to assure that nobody would be harassed out of the assumption that they are involved in politics with Chhatra League.
The ‘Students Against Discrimination’ leaders also have a responsibility in this regard so that no one can create turmoil on university campus using their names. They have emerged victorious in the fight against injustice and we believe it is important to ensure a peaceful environment and safety of all students on the educational campus to sustain that victory as well.
Hopefully, the university administration, teachers and students will work together on this matter.