The High Court today declared illegal the notice issued by Dhaka university authorities for holding its senate’s special general meeting on July 29 to elect a three-member panel for appointing its new vice-chancellor.

Delivering verdict on a writ petition, it also declared the three-member panel elected by the senate on July 29 for appointing its new vice chancellor illegal.

At the same time, the HC directed the DU authorities to finish process for constituting a full-fledged senate in six months to elect the panel for appointing its vice chancellor.

The bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo came up with the verdict after holding a final hearing on a writ petition filed challenging the legality of the notice issued by the DU registrar on July 16 convening the special general meeting of senate on July 29.

Petitioners’ lawyer Barrister Mustafizur Rahman Khan told The Daily Star that Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman, who has been appointed as acting vice-chancellor of DU by the president who is the chancellor of the university, can discharge his duties until a new vice-chancellor is appointed by the president after formation a panel by the senate.  

The HC verdict will not make any bar to Prof Akhtaruzzaman in discharging duties, he said, adding that Prof Akhtaruzzaman will execute the HC directives.

Barrister Mustafizur said the HC has delivered the verdict on the ground that there is no representative from around 40,000 registered graduates of the DU in its senate although 25 representatives from the registered graduates along with others are supposed to remain there under Article 20(1) of Dhaka University Order 1973.

Sixteen teachers and registered graduates of DU have filed the writ petition with the HC in July saying that there is no full-fledged senate for DU at this moment though the 105-member full-fledged senate has to be formed through nomination and election.

As per the Dhaka University Order 1973, the VC shall be appointed by the chancellor for a period of four years from a panel of three teachers. He shall be nominated by the university senate, and be eligible for a re-appointment for a second term.