Students boycott classes, lock teachers' rooms

They brought out a procession on the campus and held a rally on central library premises demanding cancellation of the selection. They will refrain from attending classes and examinations today also to press their demand.

At a press briefing later, the students said they will call an indefinite student strike at the university if the selection is not cancelled.

They also met with Vice-chancellor Prof Altaf Hossain at his residence and submitted a memorandum to him.

In the memorandum, the students said the Bakhtier Rana, selected for appointment as a teacher in the department, was dismissed from job in Chittagong International Islamic University (CIIU) for alleged immoral activities. His dismissal was decided at the 88th CIIU Syndicate meeting held on September 26, 2005, the memo claimed.

Campus sources said, the Marketing department, as per its planning committee's recommendation last year, decided recruitment of two teachers.

Twenty candidates applied for the jobs after advertisements. On June 30, the departmental selection board (viva board) recommended eight of them as eligible for the job. Out of the eight, four allegedly belong to Jamaat-e-Islami and four to BNP, sources said claiming that their recruitment may be confirmed at a Syndicate meeting on July 23.

Earlier, some teachers of Marketing department submitted a prayer to the RU VC not to recruit the Bakhtiar Rana as a teacher, the sources said.

Bangladesh Chhatra League, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and other student organisation strongly protested the selection and demanded scrapping of the decision.

Talking to newsmen, Vice Chancellor Prof Altaf Hossain said , "The matter is being dealt with by the department's planning committee. I will place the issue at the Syndicate meeting".

Marketing department chairman Selim Raza was not available at his office and residence for comment.