RU recruitment: Ex-Jamaat MP’s name on RU admit card sparks criticism

Criticism has surfaced over claims that a former Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker recommended a candidate in the teacher recruitment process at Rajshahi University (RU).

The controversy unfolded when the admit card of Azmira Afrin -- an applicant for the post of lecturer in the crop science and technology department -- was posted to the Facebook story of RU Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Farid Uddin Khan around 12:30am yesterday.

Afrin is scheduled to take the viva exam on August 4.

The admit card carried a written recommendation from Md Latifur Rahman, a former Chapainawabganj-3 MP and nominated candidate of Jamaat-e-Islami. He is also a life member of the RU Alumni Association.

Although the story was deleted shortly after being posted, screenshots of the admit card quickly spread on social media, triggering criticism and concerns over political influence and transparency in the recruitment process.

Immediately after the incident, Prof Farid Uddin made another post on his Facebook profile: "I don't know how an applicant's admit card was uploaded to my Facebook story. However, my son was playing games on my phone for a while. It might have been uploaded by mistake during that time."

He also stated that numerous applicants or their relatives contact him daily and send CVs, admit cards, and recommendation letters.

Farid added that he currently has about a dozen such recommendations in his office and on his phone.

However, he claimed that such recommendations do not influence the written or viva examinations in any way.

Contacted, former MP Md Latifur Rahman said he was unaware that the admit card contained his recommendation.

However, he admitted to speaking with the pro-VC over the phone and said, "The candidate had good academic results, so I asked that her application be considered."

Latifur added that viva exam practices had been questionable in the past. "I merely expressed that such practices should no longer occur."

RU Vice Chancellor Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib said that though there were structural changes through the July uprisings, public mentality remains unchanged. "Hundreds of recommendations still pile up in offices… We're trying to discourage any unethical lobbying or corruption.

"We are trying to maintain impartiality from our side."