Photo: Daily Messenger
The conflict between the Vice-Chancellor and Teachers' Association has led to the suspension of all academic and administrative activities at Comilla University for more than two weeks. On April 29, the Teachers' Association announced to boycott of all classes and exams for an indefinite period, and on April 30, following the announcement of a shutdown in the Syndicate meeting, final exams of seven departments and proposed routines of five departments have been postponed.
According to exam controllers, Economics, Computer Science and Engineering, accounting and information, Mass Communication and Journalism, and Marketing department's semester exams have been suspended. Besides, another eight department's exams that had their proposed routines handed out had not yet started.
Meanwhile, students have become tensed about their academic career. Tawhid Hossain Sanny, student of the department of Bangla, said, 'Due to the COVID pandemic, our education has suffered a lot, and decisions of class-exam suspensions by teachers and subsequent indefinite closures by the administration have added more uncertainty. We were looking forward to starting our master's 1st-semester final exams after Eid, but it seems our academic calendar is still in chaos. We are not sure when everything will return to normal, and we are very disappointed. With this conflict between teachers and the university administration, why should we, seven thousand students suffer?'
Reports of such incidents in the university came to light on the day of the elections for the Teachers' Association on February 19. On that day, they surrounded the Vice-Chancellor and engaged in arguments. Furthermore, General Secretary of teachers association Mehedi Hasan addressed VC as 'Nabba Ali Zinnah.' On March 6, they demanded the resignation of the Vice-Chancellor publicly and even called him a 'dustbin.'
On March 13, the Teachers' Association started a movement with seven demands. After giving a 24-hour ultimatum, on April 25, the Vice-Chancellor, Treasurer, and Proctor were declared unwanted and locked out of their offices. On the afternoon of April 28, when the Vice-Chancellor entered the administrative building, a three-way clash broke out with VC, members of the Teachers' Association and the student wing of BSL. Following this scuffle, Teachers' Association's seven-point demand turned into one point, resignation of Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer. On April 29, a decision was taken to suspend all classes and exams at the university. The following day, in a Syndicate meeting, it was announced that all academic and administrative activities and halls of the university would be closed.
On the other hand, 19 teachers have resigned from various administrative responsibilities on the support for the Teachers' Association's seven demands. However, no effective steps have been taken by the Vice-Chancellor or the Teachers' Association to resolve the current deadlock.
On the current circumstances, the President of the Teachers' Association, Professor Dr. Md. Abu Taher said, 'We had announced the postponement of class exams in response to the sudden terrorist attack on teachers. But the Vice-Chancellor has not resolved the issue and has announced the closure of the university, we do not agree with the Teachers' Association on that. We want the quick removal of the Vice-Chancellor and the solution to this problem. We do not want students to suffer. At the same time, we want the students to be able to take their exams on time.'
Regarding the overall issue, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A F M Abdul Moyeen said, 'Even before the Syndicate decision to shut down the University and the Halls, the Teachers' Association had been postponing classes and exams. The Syndicate's decision was taken in view of the university's situation during the Syndicate meeting to shut down the campus and the halls. I hope this problem will be resolved very soon.'
Messenger/Anon/Sumon
