Students, guardians unhappy with JU teachers' politics

In the last one and a half years, the teachers resorted to movements several times to press for their various demands, causing a session jam of seven more months.

Earlier, the students had already been confronting six months' session jam.

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"The teachers should be more conscious about the country, especially about the university, as it is the brain of the country. They should practise idealistic politics without disrupting the academic activities," said Minhaz, a third year student of English department.

The thorny issues of teachers' politics came to a head after Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmed took over as the vice-chancellor in November 2001. The pro-BNP teachers split into two factions -- one led by Prof. Jasim Uddin and the other by Prof. Mustahidur Rahman.

And the students become the victims of such politics.

The division of teachers led to an agitation with demands for elections of the VC panel, senate, syndicate and dean.

The Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association (JUTA) went on strike several times last year to press home their 11-point demand including VC panel election.

In the wake of the indefinite strike, the VC held the election to syndicate on November 18 last year.

The JUTA enforced the strike for 52 days to press for its demands, but the VC panel election is yet to be held.

The chancellor appointed Prof. Jasim Uddin Ahmed as vice-chancellor under the 11(2) Section of Jahangirnagar University act, 1973. The act requires that VC panel election should be held within 45 days of the appointment of VC.

"The teachers are abusing politics for personal benefit. While one group is enforcing agitation programme, the other is trying to grab power. This is because of the teachers following in the footsteps of the mainstream political parties. But they should be individual in their thinking," said Meherun Nesa, a guardian.

"The teachers should enforce a sound way of politics. They could arrange a silent but strong movement by holding discussions and seminars on their demands or submitting memorandum to the authorities," said a student of government and politics department, preferring anonymity.