Ammar withdraws Tk 2.4 million from RAKSU fund, accounts missing for Tk 1.84 million

Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RAKSU) General Secretary (GS) Salauddin Ammar has withdrawn Tk 2.388 million from the union’s fund, but has yet to submit bills and vouchers accounting for Tk 1.839 million of the amount. So far, he has submitted expenditure documents for only Tk 549,000.

The information emerged from an analysis of expenditure records maintained by the RAKSU treasurer’s office. According to the records, the current RAKSU council has received a total allocation of Tk 12.914 million for 42 programmes, of which bills and vouchers for Tk 6.150 million have yet to be submitted. Some of the programmes are still ongoing, and their accounts may therefore be submitted later.

The records show that Ammar withdrew a total of Tk 2.388 million in seven instalments. He has not submitted vouchers for Tk 1.839 million withdrawn in three instalments. The amount includes Tk 302,000 allocated on 15 January for setting up booths during the 2025–26 academic year admission tests, Tk 1.377 million taken on 27 January as the January budget for RAKSU members, and Tk 160,000 withdrawn on 13 April for the official expenses of RAKSU members.

Asked about the matter, Ammar said that around two months of the current RAKSU council’s tenure remain and that he would submit all audit-related accounts, bills and vouchers before his term as GS ends.

He said the budget for setting up admission-test booths was among the council’s early allocations, when they were not aware that VAT would have to be added to the expenditure.

This created some difficulties in reconciling the Tk 302,000 allocation and preparing the relevant bill, he said. He also said that the budget allocated for RAKSU members could not yet be fully accounted for because the Science and Technology Secretary had not submitted his accounts. However, he said the accounts for another expenditure category had already been submitted.

The records further show that RAKSU Sports Secretary Mosa.

Nargis Khatun withdrew the second-highest amount after the GS. A total of Tk 1.571 million was withdrawn in her name in seven instalments, of which bills and vouchers for Tk 1.397 million from four instalments have yet to be submitted. Meanwhile, Tk 1.340 million was withdrawn in six instalments in the name of RAKSU Vice-President Mostakur Rahman Zahid. He submitted a voucher for only Tk 99,924 related to one programme, leaving Tk 1.240 million without an expenditure account.

RAKSU Treasurer Professor Setaur Rahman said the union’s constitution does not contain a specific provision requiring accounts to be submitted immediately after the completion of every activity.

However, he said, RAKSU, like other institutions, follows a prescribed process for maintaining financial records.

Some vouchers had not been prepared according to the required procedure and those concerned had been asked to correct and resubmit them, he said.

According to Rahman, vouchers must be prepared using the office’s prescribed format, and he had not found any major irregularities in the vouchers submitted so far.

He added that every programme was being monitored and that no discrepancy such as showing Tk 1 as expenditure after spending Tk 2 had so far come to their attention.

RAKSU President and Rajshahi University Vice-Chancellor Professor Faridul Islam said financial accounts, along with bills and vouchers, should be submitted immediately after the completion of any programme. He said the issue of financial transparency had repeatedly been emphasised at RAKSU meetings.

The vice-chancellor said RAKSU representatives had sought some additional time to complete the process.

However, he stressed that anyone spending university funds must submit the relevant bills and vouchers and that RAKSU must also follow the same procedure.