13 illegal appointments alleged at Chittagong University

Chittagong University (CU) authorities have allegedly recruited six teachers and seven employees without following the instructions of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

It has been alleged that university authorities, by misusing their power, appointed seven employees to the engineering office of the university on 23 May and six teachers to Chittagong University School and College on 24 May.

Contrary to the rules, no job advertisement was published in any newspaper before making these appointments. Moreover, they have not taken permission from the UGC, which is mandatory.

Some university teachers have said that the authorities had done these illegal activities just to recruit their relatives as a part of "their recruitment trade".

Two of the recruits in the engineering office hail from the village of CU Vice Chancellor (VC) Dr Shirin Akhter, one is the son of an employee of the vice chancellor's residence, two are shopkeepers inside university premises and two are locals. None of them has experience in working in the engineering department.

University authorities declined to provide documents regarding the recruitment of teachers at the CU School and College.

A notification published on 13 September 2020 by the UGC reads that all public universities in the country would not be able to hire ad hoc, daily-based manpower, master rolls without the approval of the UGC. Approval is required even for appointments through outsourcing.

Calling the appointment of CU illegal, UGC Chairman Prof Kazi Shahidullah told The Business Standard (TBS), "Under no circumstances can an appointment be made in a public university without publishing a notification or advertisement in a newspaper. All appointments that do not comply with this rule will be considered illegal. We will ask the authorities to show cause."

However, CU VC Dr Shirin Akhtar said, "This is a daily-based appointment. Such appointments do not require the permission of the UGC. The registrar gave me the note and I have approved that."

Although the VC claimed that these appointments were made on a daily basis, the appointment documents show that seven employees have been employed with a monthly salary of Tk9,000.

TBS has obtained some documents. Of these, a letter signed by the university's Registrar (Acting) Professor SM Monirul Hasan on 23 May addressed to the university's Chief Engineer Abu Saeed Khan, reads, "As per your requisition, the following seven have been allowed to work as pump assistant for six months with a salary of Tk9,000."

The letter did not mention whether their appointment was daily-based, ad hoc, contract-based or master role.

One day later, on 24 May, six teachers were appointed to CU School and College.

Confirming the matter, Registrar (Acting) Monirul Hasan told TBS, "Several students are admitted in class XI of the college and it is not possible to arrange classes for the students. Therefore, six teachers have been appointed in six subjects in the agreement to take 60 classes."

University administration officials said that the monthly salary should not be mentioned in the case of recruitment on a daily basis. Those who are working in different departments of the university on a daily basis get a fixed allowance only for the day they work.

A senior university teacher, speaking on condition of anonymity, told TBS that classes at the CU School and College have been closed for a long year and a half. At present, 22 teachers are working in the college. In such a situation, there is no reason to appoint teachers on an urgent basis without the permission of the UGC. It has been done just for the personal interest of the authorities concerned.

If you advertise, you have to recruit qualified people who deserve the positions and it is difficult to hire the person of choice, he added.

CU Registrar (Acting) Professor SM Monirul Hasan said, "The appointments have been made against the vacant positions and as per the request of the engineering department. As there was no permanent post, no advertisement was given in the newspaper. Advertisement will be given in the newspaper when the appointment is finalised."

The recruits in the university's engineering department are Shahriar Islam, Chana Ullah, Belal Hossain, Abdul Mukit, Ismail Hossain, Mohammad Noman, Md Morshed.

Recently, there were allegations of irregularities, corruption and appointment scam against Rajshahi University VC Professor M Abdus Sobhan too.