Highlights
- Prof. Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam appointed as new Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka.
- Resignation of former VC Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan officially accepted.
- Outgoing VC says his role was a “Salvage Operation”, not a job.
- He highlights efforts to restore academic activities and stability at the university.
The government has appointed Prof. Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam as the new Vice-Chancellor of University of Dhaka (DU). The information was confirmed through an official notification from the Ministry of Education. At the same time, the resignation of the previous VC, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, submitted last month, has also been formally accepted.
Outgoing VC Delivers Farewell Message
After the resignation was officially approved, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan delivered a farewell message on Tuesday (17 June), shared through a press release. In his statement, he greeted all stakeholders, well-wishers, and citizens, and said he would now return to his original role as a professor in the Development Studies Department.
‘My Responsibility Is Now Over’
In his message, Niaz Ahmed Khan said:
“ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের সম্মানিত সকল অংশীজন, শুভার্থী ও প্রিয় দেশবাসীর প্রতি…আপনাদের সবাইকে সালাম ও শুভেচ্ছা জানিয়ে বিনীতভাবে জানাচ্ছি যে, ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উপাচার্যের পদ থেকে অব্যাহতির জন্য আমার আবেদন সরকারের অনুমোদন পেয়েছে।”
Translation: “Respected stakeholders, well-wishers, and citizens… I respectfully inform you that my application to step down from the position of Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University has been approved by the government.”
He added that he believes his responsibility is now complete.
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Took Charge During Crisis
The outgoing VC said he took charge during a critical period, when academic activities were almost halted and the administrative system had become ineffective. He explained that his first goal was to restart academic activities and bring stability back to the university.
‘It Was a Salvage Operation’
He described his responsibility as:
“উপাচার্য হিসেবে বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের দায়িত্ব গ্রহণের পর আমার কাছে এটি ছিল ‘উদ্ধারকারী মিশন’ । আমি কখনোই এটিকে ‘চাকরি’ মনে করিনি।”
Translation: “After taking charge as Vice-Chancellor, I saw this as a ‘Salvage Operation’. I never considered it a job.”
He also mentioned that his appointment was clearly marked as temporary.
Claims Improvement in Overall Situation
According to Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan, efforts were made with everyone’s cooperation to bring the university out of a stagnant condition.
He said:
“চেষ্টা করেছি, সবাইকে নিয়ে বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়কে অচল অবস্থা থেকে একটি স্থিতিশীল পর্যায়ে নিয়ে আসার।”
Translation: “I tried to bring the university from a state of stagnation to a stable position with everyone’s support.”
He added that although some limitations still exist, the university is now showing an overall upward trend.
Responsibility as an ‘Amanat’
He described the role of VC as a trust:
“উপাচার্যের দায়িত্বটি আমার কাছে ছিল একটি ‘আমানত’। দায়িত্বকালে আমাদের বেশ কিছু অর্জন রয়েছে, কিছু ব্যর্থতাও আছে। উল্লেখযোগ্য অর্জনগুলোর কয়েকটি- বিনীতভাবে আপনাদের জানাচ্ছি”
Translation: “The responsibility of the Vice-Chancellor was like a trust to me. During my tenure, we had several achievements as well as some shortcomings. I would like to humbly share a few of the notable achievements with you.”
Source: The Daily Campus
