180 teachers, employees dismissed from IIUC

More than 180 teachers, officers, and employees have been dismissed from the International Islamic University Chattogram (IIUC).

Among them, 118 are teachers, while the rest are officers and employees. The dismissed individuals were appointed during the tenure of former Awami League member of parliament Professor Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi from 2021 until 5 August of last year.

The dismissal was officially informed through separate letters signed by the university's registrar, Colonel (retd) Md Quasem, on 29 January.

According to the decision made in the 255th syndicate and board of trustees meeting on 27 January, they have been dismissed.

The letter stated that the decision will take effect from 1 February 2025. The university will continue to provide applicable salaries and benefits for three months (February, March, and April).

The IIUC was established in 1995 in Sitakunda, Chattogram, through the efforts of leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami.

In March 2021, Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi, an Awami League member of parliament from the Satkania-Lohagara constituency who was expelled from Jamaat, took control of the university with government support. At that time, influential Awami League figures, including Khaled Mahmud, brother of then-information minister Hasan Mahmud, and deputy minister of education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, directly participated in the takeover process on the IIUC campus.

Later, Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi declared himself chairman and formed the board of trustees.

After the fall of the Awami League government, the trustee members and officials went into hiding.

At that time, the control of the university was regained by the trustees led by Jamaat leader and former MP Maulana ANM Shamsul Islam.

Three individuals associated with the university told The Business Standard that among those dismissed, 118 are teachers, while the rest are employees.

All of them were appointed during Nezamuddin Nadvi's tenure. Among them are individuals closely associated with Abu Reza Muhammad Nezamuddin Nadvi and his wife, as well as those who were appointed based on recommendations from MPs, ministers, and Awami League leaders. Additionally, a faction supported by Jamaat is also among those dismissed. 

After 5 August, two circulars were issued, instructing teachers who were appointed on an ad-hoc basis during Nezamuddin Nadvi's tenure and later made permanent to reapply. Similar circulars were also issued for officers and employees.

In January of this year, written and oral examinations were conducted for the teachers who applied.

Following this, some of those appointed during Nezamuddin Nadvi's tenure were retained, while the rest were dismissed. Similarly, the recruitment process for officers and employees is expected to be completed this month. Among those dismissed, at least 10 are Qaumi-orientated teachers.

Mohammad Harun Azizi, a lecturer in the Department of Qur'anic Sciences who was dismissed, told The Business Standard, "I was appointed on an ad-hoc basis in July 2023. Six months later, my position was made permanent through the recruitment board. After 5 August, when the circular was issued, the department and faculty repeatedly urged us to apply. Despite already being permanent, I submitted my application. I took both the written and oral exams, yet I still received a dismissal letter. I had received the Chancellor's Gold Medal. According to the rules, we were already made permanent through the board once. Even then, I have been dismissed again."

The university's registrar, Colonel (retd) Md Quasem, told The Business Standard, "The previous administration appointed teachers, officers, and employees without following proper regulations and without any advertisement. The current administration has decided to regularise them following the rules. Those from the previous recruitment who passed the examinations have been appointed, while the rest have been dismissed. Additionally, not all previously appointed individuals reapplied in response to the new circular."

However, the registrar could not specify the exact number of people who were dismissed.

Multiple attempts were made to contact ANM Shamsul Islam, chairman of the university's board of trustees, but he was unavailable.

Board Member and Chittagong University (CU) Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Shamim Uddin Khan said, "The university was taken over without adhering to the private university governance policy. The illegal trustees misappropriated large sums of money. They made appointments without issuing circulars, without following recruitment policies, and without considering qualifications—essentially disregarding all rules and regulations. For example, junior teachers were promoted to assistant professors without meeting the necessary qualifications. This led to the destruction of the institution."

"To bring the university back under proper regulations and to consider the livelihoods of those appointed, a circular was issued inviting them to reapply. Recruitment was then carried out under the new circular through a competitive examination process. Among those appointed, 80-85% are from the previous staff. However, those who were entirely unqualified could not be retained. Moving forward, officers and employees will also be recruited following regulations," he added.