Dr Mamun’s VC Appointment Raises Questions Over Ties to Former Foreign Advisor, Rule Bypass

Dr. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz, a Professor at Universiti Malaysia Perlis and a Malaysian expatriate, is set to be appointed as the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), operated by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). A source related to the university confirmed that his appointment letter has already been issued. However, he is becoming the VC of this international institution by violating the age limit conditions mentioned in the recruitment notice.

Allegations suggest that through the intervention of former Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain last February, Professor Mamun—who has a Cadet College background—was added to the shortlist of the top three candidates for the IUT VC appointment. Previously, the final interview for this appointment was scheduled for January, but at that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide clearance for the three candidates on the shortlist.

As a result, the OIC excluded them. Later, after a report titled "IUT VC Recruitment Stalled as Foreign Ministry Denies Clearance to Top 3 Shortlisted Candidates" was published in The Daily Campus, one person from the previous list found a place in the new shortlist. The interview took place on February 26.

Stakeholders claim that the then Foreign Advisor withheld the clearance of the top three candidates from the previous shortlist specifically to appoint Professor Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz, whom they describe as a child of an Awami family, as the VC of IUT.

'Serious Irregularities' by the Foreign Ministry to make Dr. Mamun VC

After the position became vacant due to the resignation of the current IUT VC, Professor Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, the OIC issued a global call for applications on May 13 last year. The notice was published on the IUT website and widely circulated through Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education. After scrutinizing the applications, the OIC finalized a panel of three qualified candidates following online interviews. January 4 of this year was set as the date for face-to-face final interviews at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

To this end, the OIC authorities completed all preparations, including hotel bookings and air tickets, and requested formal clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Bangladesh government. At that time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not provide clearance to any of the candidates. Consequently, just two days before their flight from Dhaka, the candidates learned that their interviews had been postponed.

At that time, the final interview list included Dr. Syeda Sultana Razia, a member of the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) and Professor of Chemical Engineering at BUET; Dr. Sohail Rahman, a member of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) and another BUET Professor; and the current VC of a private university.

OIC recruitment notice mentioned Engineering background, 5 years of administrative experience, and age not exceeding 56

It is known that candidates gave online interviews on September 30 last year. On November 11, the OIC informed them of the final interview. On December 30, it was announced that the interview scheduled for January 4 was postponed. On January 20 of this year, the OIC stated that as clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not received, they were no longer being considered for the position.

Dr. Mamun served as the Dean of the School of Engineering, Technology, and Sciences at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) from May 2023 to April 2025. One source claims he was removed due to "misconduct" during his tenure. Previously, he had to leave the National University of Malaysia (UKM) following several allegations of financial corruption.

At that time, the name of a candidate favored by the Foreign Advisor reached The Daily Campus. This candidate, Professor Dr. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz, holds a Master’s in Applied Physics from Rajshahi University and a PhD from Japan. He was not on the first shortlist.

Related sources say that after the first final interview was postponed, the OIC excluded the candidates from the previous list and conducted fresh online interviews from among the applicants. Based on this, a new shortlist was created in February, where Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz secured a spot. Along with another professor on this list, BUET Professor Dr. Syeda Sultana Razia was re-added from the previous shortlist.

Stakeholders believe Professor Sultana Razia was kept on the list primarily because she spoke to the media under her own name regarding these serious irregularities of the Foreign Ministry. These three candidates gave final interviews in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on February 26.

Dr. Mamun becoming VC by violating age condition; lacks experience

The recruitment notice published by the OIC on May 13 last year stated as a general requirement: "The candidate must be less than 56 years of age." The general conditions for application stated: "The resume must include basic personal information, including birthdate..." giving clear instructions to mention the date of birth in the CV.

However, a check of Professor Dr. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz's CV on his personal website shows he was born on December 30, 1963, in Pabna. By this calculation, as of the final application date of June 12, 2025, his age is 61 years, 5 months, and 13 days.

Dr. Mamun’s CV from the website, birth date written as December 30, 1963

The recruitment notice required "Substantial experience in a higher education leadership position." The experience condition stated: "A minimum of 10 (ten) years of experience in a related profession with at least 5 (five) years of senior-level leadership experience in higher education or supporting academic development."

However, scrutiny of Professor Mamun’s biodata shows he does not have significant prior administrative experience. Before his current professorship at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, he joined Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in Dhaka as Dean of the School of Engineering, Technology, and Sciences. He held this position from May 2023 to April 2025. A source says he was removed for "misconduct."

Read more: Mental health of medical students devastated by teachers' 'discipline'

Previously, from 2008 to 2023, Professor Mamun worked at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) for 14 years, rising from Senior Lecturer to Professor. However, a source among Bangladeshis residing in Malaysia claims he had to leave that institution due to several financial corruption allegations.

IUT VC post moving away from Engineering for the first time, PhD also questioned

The appointment notice stated: "The candidate must have at least a PhD degree or equivalent degree from an accredited institution preferably in the areas of Engineering and Technology..." A look at the institution's history supports this. Since its founding in 1979, no one without an Engineering background has been appointed as a full-fledged head.

OIC's notice required candidates to be under 56, yet Dr. Mamun's personal website lists his birth date as December 30, 1963, making him over 61 years old.

Records show that the institution began in 1979 as the Islamic Centre for Technical and Vocational Training and Research (ICTVTR). Its first director was the renowned engineer and BUET Professor Dr. Rafiquddin Ahmed. In 1987, the then VC of BUET, Professor Dr. Abdul Matin Patwari, became the director. When ICTVTR became the Islamic Institute of Technology (IIT), he was appointed its first Director General.

After the institution became a university in 2001, Professor Dr. M. Anwar Hossain, then Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Faculty Dean at BUET, was appointed VC. The second VC (2003-2008), Professor Dr. M. Fazli Ilahi, and the third (2008-2016), Professor Dr. Md. Imtiaz Hossain, were also professors of Mechanical Engineering at BUET. In 2016, Professor Dr. Munaz Ahmed Noor from the Civil Engineering department of BUET was appointed VC, serving until February 4, 2018.

Except for Acting VC Dr. Omar Jah, no VC without an Engineering background has been appointed

The next day, Professor Dr. Omar Jah, a renowned theologian from Gambia, joined as Acting VC. Although not from an engineering background, he is a globally respected figure in religious scholarship with close ties to the OIC and was an advisor to a former OIC Secretary-General. He served as Acting VC until August 31, 2020.

However, this time, Professor Dr. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz is set to become the first full-fledged VC without an Engineering background. His CV shows he obtained his Bachelor's (1988) and Master's (1990) in Applied Physics and Electronics from Rajshahi University. Later, in 2007, he obtained a PhD in Science and Engineering from Ibaraki University, Japan.

Meanwhile, several Bangladeshi professors in Malaysia told The Daily Campus that Dr. Mamun's PhD is questionable. They claim there are questions regarding plagiarism in his doctoral degree.

Candidates victims of serious irregularities and discrimination

The Daily Campus spoke to several individuals who applied for the IUT VC post. They stated that withholding the clearance of three renowned professors and high-ranking state officials without reason, while allowing someone to become VC by violating the age condition, is a serious irregularity and discriminatory.

An anonymous candidate told The Daily Campus: "Many could not apply due to the age limit in the OIC circular, yet a person over sixty is going to be appointed VC. He reached this stage through ties with the former Foreign Advisor via his Cadet College background. To make him VC, the then advisor withheld our clearance. What we heard back then is now proving to be true."

Another candidate said, "Professor Mamun is from an Awami family. After living in Malaysia for a long time, he joined Independent University in Bangladesh while lobbying to become a VC of a public university. His plans were foiled when the Sheikh Hasina government fell. Later, Independent University removed him for misconduct. Previously, he had to leave a Malaysian university due to a financial scandal."

'A personal matter,' Professor Mamun refuses to comment, responsible authorities remain silent

When contacted regarding the age violation and other allegations, Professor Dr. Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz labeled them "personal matters." He said, "I haven't received an appointment letter yet, and I don't even know if I'm getting appointed. You are asking for IUT, but I don't hold any position there yet. Until I hold a position, these are my personal matters. I won't talk about personal matters."

According to the "General Requirements" of the recruitment notice, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh is involved. The notice states: "To be either nominated by their State or the State should have no objection... A letter of no objection issued by the competent governmental authority shall be requested..."

The International Organizations Wing of the Foreign Ministry handles such clearances. It was not possible to get a statement from the Secretary of the Wing, M. Farhadul Islam. The Director General of the Wing, Sanchita Haque, is on leave. Director Shaila Shama refused to comment, referring the matter to the Director General of Public Diplomacy and Ministry spokesperson, Seheli Sabrin. However, spokesperson SM Mahbubul Alam said he knows nothing about the matter.

"Many could not apply due to the age limit, yet a sixty-plus person is becoming VC. He got this far through ties with the former Advisor... what we heard then is becoming true now," said an anonymous candidate.

However, on February 24, a top official of the Foreign Ministry told The Daily Campus on condition of anonymity that the delay in clearance was because the OIC had not set a deadline. Furthermore, the OIC supposedly did not inform the Ministry about the interview dates. Clearance was submitted quickly after the matter came to the Ministry's attention following reports in The Daily Campus.

When asked about former Foreign Advisor Mohammed Touhid Hossain's favorite candidate, the official said the claim was incorrect, asserting that the former advisor remained impartial and that they simply forwarded intelligence reports to the OIC without making recommendations.

Dr. Saif Naif Alharbi, head of the Personnel Section of the OIC, was emailed for comment, but no response was received.