Ex-VC, registrar of Sylhet Medical University banned from leaving country

A Sylhet court has ordered an overseas travel ban on Sylhet Medical University's former vice-chancellor Professor Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury and former acting registrar Naeemul Haque who are under probe for allegations of conducting recruitment business in the institute.

Chief Judicial Magistrate AQM Nasir Uddin passed the order on 22 June.

Earlier on 20 June, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Sylhet Divisional Office Assistant Director Md Anwar Hossain appealed to the court seeking an order prohibiting the ex-vice-chancellor and registrar from leaving the country.

Public Prosecutor Ali Morjuza Kibria said the ACC began investigating allegations of a recruitment business being conducted by the former VC and registrar of the university.

"In light of the events, the accused were trying to leave the country. So, the ACC applied to court seeking a ban on their travelling. After a hearing, the court granted the appeal."

According to ACC sources, after the establishment of Sylhet Medical University, the former VC and registrar were involved in appointing over one hundred people on an ad hoc basis in various positions in exchange for money, violating the University Grants Commission Act.

The UGC launched an investigation when various media reports were published about the university's alleged recruitment business.

ACC Sylhet Divisional Office Assistant Director Anwar Hossain said, "Preliminary information and evidence of irregularities and corruption have been found in the probe against two former top officials of Sylhet Medical University. We are now investigating further. Then a case will be filed."