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BSS-48
DU-CENTENARY-ACADEMICS
Academics suggest ensuring complete autonomy for DU
By Mohiuddin Mahi
DHAKA, July 1, 2020 (BSS) – Academics and senior teachers of Dhaka University today suggested ensuring complete autonomy for the university to let it be an ideal institution likewise the world’s top universities following the footprints of Bangabandhu who gave the institutional autonomy to it by granting the Dhaka University Order, 1973.
“Autonomy is very important for a university. After Bangladesh’s independence, the university has been enjoying autonomy but the state’s control (over it) still remains,” educationist Prof Serajul Islam Choudhury told BSS as the university marked its 99th founding anniversary today.
Choudhury, a professor emeritus at Dhaka University’s English Department, said the university did not get complete autonomy and it’s a setback for it as other ideal universities enjoy complete autonomy. But the country’s oldest and largest seat of learning which steps into 100 years today does not have it, he added.
He said those ideal universities, which foster practice of knowledge, do not have to depend on anybody in recruiting teachers and appointing persons in top administrative posts.
Revisiting the historical background, the eminent academician said the university had to face different attacks during the Pakistani rule and there was no scope to get favor from the state machinery
during the British rule.
Before the country’s independence, “the university did not get state’s favor . . . there was no chance to have it during the British rule. During the Pakistani rule, attacks came on that university time and again. Yahya Khan had snatched its autonomy and after assuming power, Ayub Khan had wanted to completely devastate the university,” he recalled describing the significance of a university’s autonomy.
Attributing the social role played by its academia and students to different movements since its inception on July 1 in 1921, Choudhury said no other university had played such social responsibilities to that extent the Dhaka University did.
“To play social roles was must for Dhaka University, which was the first university in the then East Bengal, because the society was backward, downtrodden and poverty-driven,” he said.
The academician said “the university students had waged movements, conflicts and violence took place, university was shut down time and again, bloodshed occurred. These incidents were not expected by any means for a university. The university achieved a lot amidst adverse atmosphere”.
He mentioned that DU had got a larger number of meritorious teachers before and after the independence but ironically all of them did not stay there as some of them went abroad and didn’t return, some switched to government services and there were many other reasons too.
Choudhury said getting meritorious teachers is a must for a university to contribute in the field of research and publication and practicing of knowledge.
“Now the value of knowledge has decayed in society. When the value of knowledge is decayed in society, it degrades universities too,” he regretted.
Talking to BSS, Dhaka University former Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had made a remarkable job by giving the Dhaka University 1973 Order that ensures the autonomy of the university.
“Bangabandhu used to respect the university teachers and students and gave dignity to them, that is why after the independence, he abolished the black law under which the university was administered during the Pakistani regime and gave the 1973 order to the university,” he said.
The noted academician said that architect of independent Bangladesh Bangabandhu had a very close ties with and profound love for the university and he had set an instance by giving autonomy to the university.
Professor Dr Md Abdul Maleque, director of Institute of Education and Research (IER) at Dhaka University, lauded Bangabandhu’s role in giving absolute autonomy to the university by the 1973’s Order saying the spirit of the order is that the university will run its academic, research and other activities independently and its teachers and students will carry on practice of knowledge and intellectuality freely.
He underscored the need for enhancing the budgetary allocation for the university and enhancing the university’s allocation in the field of research so that its teachers and student can conduct fundamental and in-depth researches.
Educationist and historian Prof Syed Anwar Hussain said the DU along with other universities is losing its past glory due to some setbacks as it did not put much emphasis on merit, wisdom and academic excellence in recruitment of teachers as well as top administrative posts, including vice-chancellor, pro vice-chancellor and treasurer, in the last several decades.
Talking to BSS, National Professor Rafiqul Islam highlighted categorically the university’s role in the country’s most glorious chapter- the 1971 Liberation War- as well as all other democratic movements including 1952 Language Movement, 1962 Education Movement, 1966 six-point movement and 1969 Mass Upsurge.
No other university in the world has such role in attaining independence for a country as numerous teachers and students of that university had embraced martyrdom for liberation, he added.
BSS/SPL/MMM/MKD/KU/1941 HRS