34 Khulna University Teachers Fail to Return After Study Leave Abroad

A total of 34 teachers from Khulna University (KU) who took educational leave to pursue higher studies abroad have not returned to their posts, according to university sources. Since the university’s establishment in 1991, these teachers obtained leave to pursue master’s, MPhil, PhD, or postdoctoral degrees.

Under KU’s policy, teachers are eligible for one year of paid leave after two years of service, which can be extended up to three years for master’s or MPhil programs and up to seven years for PhD programs. If teachers do not return after the seven-year period, their employment is supposed to be terminated. However, in practice, many have not returned after their leave expired.

An associate professor, speaking on condition of anonymity, highlighted the impact of this issue: “The international standard is one teacher for every 20 students, but we are unable to meet this benchmark. The shortage of teachers due to such absences is creating severe challenges for us.”

KU’s Registrar, Professor Dr. S. M. Mahbubur Rahman, explained the university’s efforts to address the issue: “As per regulations, we send letters to urge teachers to return after their leave ends. Some return, but others do not. When they fail to return, there is little the administration can do.”

This ongoing issue continues to strain the university’s ability to maintain adequate faculty, impacting academic operations and highlighting the challenges of enforcing leave policies.