Dhaka University to review recruitment during Awami League regime

Dhaka University has formed a high-level committee to investigate whether there were any irregularities in the recruitment of teachers and other employees between January 2009 and 2024, a period corresponding to the tenure of the Awami League government.

The decision was announced in a university press release on Thursday.
According to the statement, the committee tasked with reviewing recruitment processes will be headed by Professor Abdus Salam, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic). All faculty deans have been included as members of the committee.

The university has also constituted a separate committee to examine whether research funds under the Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP), financed by the World Bank and the University Grants Commission (UGC), were utilized properly.

The committee will be led by Professor Mohammad Al-Mujaddedi Al-Fechani, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration).

The move comes amid a series of administrative reforms introduced following the political changeover on August 5, 2024. Since then, the university has barred at least 68 teachers with alleged links to Awami League politics from teaching over allegations that they acted against students during the movement. In addition, 128 students have been temporarily expelled over allegations of involvement in attacks on protesters.

At its Syndicate meeting held on Tuesday, the university also took disciplinary action against several faculty members. Professor Sadeqa Halim of the Department of Sociology was temporarily suspended over allegations of "conduct unbecoming of a teacher" and "moral misconduct."

Two professors from the Department of Nuclear Engineering—Professor Md. Shafiqul Islam and Professor Afroza Shelly—were also suspended over separate allegations. Four other teachers were relieved of all academic and administrative responsibilities pending further proceedings.

The Syndicate also approved the construction of a "July Memorial" near the university's administrative building. The foundation stone of the memorial is scheduled to be laid on August 5.