A departmental connection program was held at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Jagannath University (JnU) today, demanding the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor (VC) from among the university's own faculty.
On Sunday (September 8), teachers, students, officers, and staff from 16 departments under these two faculties took part in the demonstration, pressing for a Vice-Chancellor who understands and belongs to the JnU community.
This event was part of a series of ongoing protests, where participants have been voicing their dissatisfaction over the appointment of external Vice-Chancellors and insisting on selecting someone from JnU's own faculty for the top administrative post.
Addressing the gathering in front of the Shaheed Minar, Professor Dr. Mostofa Hasan, Chairman of the Department of Social Work, outlined the key demands of the movement.
He stated, "For the past nineteen years, JnU has been deprived of a Vice-Chancellor who truly understands our needs. Outsiders who have held the position do not treat this university as their own. The university still lacks even a proper entrance gate. This time, we demand that the Vice-Chancellor be one of us, a teacher from JnU. The university community will not accept an outsider in this role. If an external VC is appointed, we will lock the gates in protest."
During the program, Umme Habiba, a student from the 17th batch of the Department of English, added, "Our only demand now is that the next Vice-Chancellor be appointed from our own university. We've had no improvement in either academic standards or campus development under external VCs from Dhaka University. A Vice-Chancellor from JnU would better understand the needs and dynamics of our institution, and it would be easier to have our voices heard. Ultimately, we want someone who is student-friendly and from within our community."
Khairul Islam Shadhin from the Department of Islamic Studies commented, "The structure and internal matters of JnU are different from other universities. If our Vice-Chancellor comes from within, they will have a better grasp of the unique issues we face and will be able to act swiftly and effectively."
