Jagannath University Vice Chancellor Prof Rezaul Karim said on Wednesday, "I do not wish to be associated with those who contributed to or encouraged autocratic behaviour."
"I do not want to see them on this campus, and I certainly don't want to be their Vice Chancellor," he said at a meeting with representatives of different batches and departments who had taken part in the ongoing Jagannath University reform movement.
"Those of us in leadership roles are bound by laws and regulations. Even if we want to, we cannot always act as we wish. We must work together, stand against autocracy, and collectively achieve success, " said Prof Karim.
Turning to dormitory crisis, he said, "Currently, we have no dormitories for male students. There is no official residence for the Vice-Chancellor. I don't know where I will stay. I want to reside on the campus. I am considering whether temporary residence can be arranged on the new campus. Accommodating 10,000 students is no small feat. What hasn't been done in 19 years may not happen in just one month, but we will keep you informed about progress."
Prof Rezaul Karim also highlighted the infrastructure challenges, saying, "The air conditioners in our auditorium are out of order. On investigation, I found that while the AC I installed at my home may eventually breakdown. Each AC here is out of oreder.We are starting from a deficit. To install new AC units, the old out of order ones must be removed first. Our buildings are structurally unsound. To construct new ones, the old ones need to be demolished. But where will the students attend classes in the meantime? This university was established by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, but even her commemorative plaque is missing now. It will be restored. We are addressing all these issues."
Regarding the development of a new campus, he said, "I have reviewed the master plan, and after appointing consultants, we will immediately hand over the construction of the second campus to the Army for speedy implementation. I've met the Education Advisor and the education secretary about the project timelines. They told me that the deadline will be extended."
On the topic of student politics and the Jagannath University Central Students' Union (JnUCSU) election, he said, "In my discussions, I've emphasised that while student politics will not be banned, the culture of student politics will be changed.
The practice of subservient, patronage-based student politics will not continue. We will hold JnUCSU election as soon as possible, creating a dedicated platform that allows us to move forward with clear objectives."
