Irregularities alleged

DU Syndicate approved the appointments at a meeting on Wednesday with Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz in the chair.

Some teachers told The Daily Star that the authorities appointed a less qualified candidate Afroza Hossain, who does not have required experience in teaching ignoring a better candidate Ayesha Mahmuda.

According to the advertisement, Afroza does not have seven years teaching and research experiences in a university or an institute of advance research.

Sources said Afroza has teaching experience in National University (NU)-affiliated Eden College in two durations (from November 15, 1993 to October 14, 1997 and from November 30, 2004 to January 8, 2005).

There are however some ambiguities about time in her other teaching experiences in another NU-affiliated college and in a private university, sources said.

On the other hand, Ayesha, an internal candidate, has been teaching at DU psychology department since July 22, 1998 and was promoted to the post of assistant professor on August 8, 2001 apart from having a better teaching and research experiences and publications.

A DU teacher on condition of anonymity said an internal candidate should get priority while making an appointment.

Sources said Ayesha has a total of 13 publications including two international publications but none knows whether Afroza has any publications of this kind as she did not submit those with her CV.

Afroza tried for being appointed as lecturer at the department in 1993 and for assistant professor in 2001, but failed. However, this time she has been appointed as associate professor, they added.

Two of the syndicate members issued a note of dissent about Afroza's recruitment saying that they think Ayesha was more competent candidate than Afroza, as she fulfilled all the requirements of the advertisement.

Prof Faiz, however, told The Daily Star that the co-ordination and development committee of the department recommended both Ayesha and Afroza for the post.

But who was the best was decided by the syndicate and appointment was made accordingly, he added.

Prof Faiz said Afroza has a PhD degree which is very important in appointing a associate professor while Ayesha does not have.

"Every advertisement is made to appoint 'fresh' candidate and there is no words like 'internal' or 'external' candidate," he added.

Meanwhile, the authorities have allegedly appointed a number of lecturers and assistant professors either on the basis of nepotism or political affiliations in different departments including Sociology, Development Studies, Pharmacy, Islamic History and Law, said sources.