Academic activities at Dhaka University unlikely to resume soon

Academic activities at Dhaka University are unlikely to resume soon. Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan stated this in an interview with The Daily Messenger on Wednesday. He cited the absence of Syndicate members and the emerging situation as the primary reasons for the delay.

"The biggest challenge for me is to resume academic activities," said Dr. Khan. "I want to ensure that all necessary preparations are in place before we can start."

Regarding his activities since assuming the role of Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Khan said, "You have already seen that I’ve been visiting various halls to communicate with students. I aim to complete visits to all the halls by Friday. After that, I will continue this activity in the departments according to the university's faculties."

The Vice-Chancellor also mentioned that academic activities cannot commence without the Syndicate's approval. "The university was closed following a decision made by the Syndicate. Therefore, we cannot resume activities without convening a Syndicate meeting. If the closure had been enforced through an executive order, I could have used my executive power to reopen the university."

Many Syndicate members are currently unavailable due to the resignation of the Awami League government, and some have resigned. Despite this, a Syndicate meeting must be held. Dr. Khan assured that a decision to reopen the university will be made during the meeting with the available Syndicate members.

When asked about the timing of the Syndicate meeting, Dr. Khan responded, "Before convening the Syndicate meeting, I want to complete the communication activities I’m currently engaged in. I hope to determine the date for the meeting within the next week."

Given the current circumstances, there is little hope for academic activities at the university to resume soon. It is worth noting that following the ongoing movement for quota reform in government jobs, the Dhaka University authorities declared the university closed indefinitely on Wednesday, July 17. The decision was made in an emergency Syndicate meeting presided over by the then Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. A.S.M. Maksud Kamal. After thorough discussions, the Syndicate, under the powers granted by Article 24(1) of the Dhaka University Ordinance 1973, decided to close the university indefinitely to ensure student safety and maintain an academic environment.

Due to the prolonged closure, exams in various departments have been postponed, and the lack of classes has increased the risk of session jams. In this situation, students are eager to return to classes as soon as possible.