Gazipur IUT students, teachers demand removal of VC

Students, teachers and staff of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), Gazipur have staged day-long demonstration on their campus demanding the removal of their Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Munaz Ahmed Noor. Asst Prof Abdul Hamid of the mechanical engineering department told the Dhaka Tribune that the students, teachers and staff unitedly took position near the main gate of the university around 8am on Tuesday. They locked the main gate from inside and chanted slogans for the removal of the VC, accusing him of indecent behavior with the students, teachers and staff and various irregularities. The protesters claimed the VC had increased the university's student enrollment without expanding the class rooms and other facilities. The VC has also appointed a good number of teachers on ad hoc basis which the students-teachers community consider to be harmful to the university's educational standards. Informed about the protest, VC Prof Munaz Ahmed Noor returned from Dhaka and tried to enter the campus around noon, but was blocked by the protesters at the main gate. Talking to reporters, the VC, however, denied the allegations against him, saying: “A quarter of teachers-staffs-students, backed b up by BNP-Jamaat, are giving instigation against me to spoil the environment of the university. The allegations brought against me are groundless.” The VC left the spot after some time while the protesters continued the demonstration until 4:30pm. Assistant Professor Taslim Reza of the electrical and electronics engineering department noted that the teachers had earlier had discussions with the VC about his indecent conducts with the students-teachers-staffs, but to no effect. “In last November, the matter was also conveyed to the secretary general of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Countries). A three-member team visited the IUT from there and talked to the VC about the matter. Despite that, the VC has not corrected himself,” she said. It can be mentioned here that IUT is run with the support of the OIC. Joydebpur police station Officer-in-Charge Aminul Islam said informed about the protest, Gazipur Deputy Commissioner Dr Humayun Kabir along with the police officers went to the IUT campus and tried to appease the protesters. “But they did not sit down to a discussion with us,” the OC added.