Pro-AL panel bags 8 seats, pro-BNP 7

A pro-Awami League (AL) panel bagged eight posts, including that of the president and secretary, while a BNP-backed one the remaining seven at the elections to Jahangirnagar University Teachers' Association (Juta) yesterday.

However, teachers from a left-leaning body, Shikkhak Mancha, did not contest alleging that Juta was not playing its due role to ensure teachers' rights and protect national interests, said its spokesperson, Associate Prof Rayhan Rayne.

Prof Ajit Kumar Mozumdar of statistics and Associate Prof Bashir Ahmed were elected president and general secretary respectively. 

Executive members from the pro-AL panel are Prof Farid Ahmed of physics, Prof Md Anwar Khashru Parvez of microbiology, Assistant Prof Md Wahiduzzaman of the Institute of Information and Technology, Prof Md Khaled Hossain of Bangla and Prof Shahedur Rashid and Prof Sheikh Md Manzurul Haque of geography and environment.

Winners from the pro-BNP panel are Prof Feroza Hossain of botany (vice-president), Prof Md Mamun Hossain of chemistry (treasurer), Associate Prof Md Nazrul Islam of geography and environment (joint secretary) and Prof Abeda Sultana of mathematics, Prof Mahbub Kabir of chemistry, Prof Md Mafruhi Sattar of pharmacy and Prof Shamima Sultana of Bangla (executive members). 

A total of 476 teachers out of 506 cast their votes from 9:30am to 1:30pm at the JU Teachers' Club.

Prof AKM Abul Kalam of urban and regional planning conducted the election and announced the results around 7:00pm.