Dhaka University’s New Vice-Chancellor Likely to Be Announced Today

The name of the new Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University (DU) may be announced today, Sunday (1 March). It is likely that a teacher from the university will be appointed in an acting capacity. A university source provided this information.

On 22 February, the current Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan formally submitted his resignation letter to Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Haq Milon. However, since he has not yet received the official acceptance letter, he continues to hold the position.

There has been widespread speculation about who will take over Dhaka University’s top post following Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan’s request for relief. A university source said today that the chances are high for the current Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed to be appointed as acting Vice-Chancellor. He is a former General Secretary of the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association and was the Convener of the pro-BNP teachers’ platform White Panel (Sada Dal).

Professor Dr. Mamun Ahmed from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology was an Adviser to the late BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and also served as President of Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JASAS), the social and cultural wing of BNP.

Another strong contender is Professor Dr. A.B.M. Obaydul Islam, Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University (BOU). He is the current President of the University Teachers’ Association of Bangladesh (UTAB). The Physics Department professor was a former General Secretary of the Teachers’ Association and Convener of the White Panel. He currently serves as Education Affairs Secretary of BNP.

Other names in discussion include National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A.S.M. Amanullah from DU’s Sociology Department, Arts Faculty Dean and Professor Dr. Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan from the Department of Islamic History and Culture, current White Panel Convener and Marketing Department Professor Dr. Md. Morshed Hasan Khan, among others.

Professor Dr. Md. Morshed Hasan Khan is the current Secretary General of UTAB and serves as Mass Education Secretary and member of the Media Cell of BNP’s Executive Committee.

Following the student-people’s mass uprising on 5 August 2024, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan from the Development Studies Department was appointed as the 30th Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University on 26 August that year. At the time, he was serving as Acting Vice-Chancellor of Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB).