DUET Teachers’ Association Demands Appointment of New VC from Among DUET Faculty

The Teachers’ Association of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) has called for the immediate appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor (VC) from within the university’s faculty. This demand was made in a statement issued on Monday by the association’s president, Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam, and joint secretary, Md. Sabbir Hussain.

Earlier, on August 11, the previous Vice-Chancellor resigned, leading to a standstill in the university’s academic and administrative activities. Following directives from the Ministry of Education’s Secondary and Higher Education Division, the Dean Council temporarily assigned the Dean of the Mechanical Faculty to oversee urgent academic and administrative operations to restore functionality. Under this interim leadership, essential activities such as semester final examinations and results processing have continued.

However, in the absence of a Vice-Chancellor, key functions such as convening the Academic Council and Syndicate meetings, approving research projects, granting faculty study leave, recruiting teachers, and making promotions remain suspended.

On September 28, during a general meeting of the DUET Teachers’ Association in Gazipur, all present teachers expressed concern over the ongoing absence of a Vice-Chancellor. They urged the relevant government authorities to appoint a new VC as soon as possible.

The teachers emphasized that several professors from DUET have already been appointed as Vice-Chancellors at other universities, demonstrating that the institution is not lacking in qualified candidates. They urged that the new Vice-Chancellor should be selected from among DUET’s capable and experienced faculty members.

The teachers further argued that DUET, as a unique engineering institution, requires a Vice-Chancellor who understands its distinct culture and needs. Appointing a VC from outside the university may lead to challenges, as past experiences have shown that external appointees often struggle to grasp the institution’s traditions, the psychology of its faculty and students, and the overall ethos, resulting in instability and limited progress.

Founded in 1980 as the Faculty of Engineering of Dhaka University, DUET is one of the oldest engineering institutions in the country. It became BIT, Dhaka, before being upgraded to a full-fledged university in 2003. Located in Gazipur, DUET has a 44-year legacy of providing engineering education.