Jagannath University (JnU) teachers, students, officials, and staff held a program demanding the appointment of a vice chancellor (VC) from among the university’s own teachers. The event took place on Sunday at the faculties of arts and social sciences, with activities held in 16 departments.
This program is part of an ongoing movement to appoint a VC from the university's own faculty members. Participants argued that JnU had been neglected for the last 19 years under external VCs who, they claimed, failed to fully understand or represent the institution.
Prof Mostofa Hasan, chairman of the Department of Social Work, voiced the collective frustration, stating, "JnU has been deprived for years, and external VCs do not see the university as their own. The JnU family will not accept any external VCs."
Dr Mohammad Bilal Hossain, a convener of the program and associate professor of history, added, "The movement will continue until our demands are met." He announced that the Business Faculty would hold similar activities on Monday, followed by the Science Faculty on Wednesday.
The program continued in several departments, including political science, economics, social work, Islamic studies, philosophy, and English. Deputy Registrar Ziadur Rahman highlighted the qualifications of JnU teachers, emphasizing their contributions to universities nationwide. He stated, "We have many qualified teachers here who have served across the country. We, the teachers, students, and staff – the entire university family – demand that our next VC should be one of us. We will not accept any exceptions."
The university community remains united in their demand, aiming to secure leadership from within JnU to better represent the needs and aspirations of the institution.
