Education
Several injured in BCL attack on Chhatra Odhikar
Several people were injured on Friday after BCL men allegedly attacked members of rival Chhatra Odhikar Parishad on Dhaka University campus.
The incident took place near TSC as Chhatra Odhikar Parishad activists were preparing to observe the organisation's 6th founding anniversary.
According to Chhatra Odhikar Parishad leaders, they were trying to enter TSC to observe their programme while some BCL men blocked them and carried out the attack.
The attack left several Odhikar activists injured, they said.
The injured have been taken to Dhaka Medical college hospital for treatment, Odhikar said.
Moreover, Dhaka Post campus correspondent Amjad Hossen was also allegedly harassed by a BCL leader, Farid Jaman, joint secretary of Sergeant Johrul Hoque hall Chhatra League unit.
Read more: Two city college teachers quit under BCL pressure
"Farid Jaman and some of his followers came to me and tried to snatch my mobile and check it while I was taking video of the clash. With the help of the proctorial team and members of law enforcement, I managed to flee”, said Amjad.
Farid tried to snatch my mobile despite knowing my identity as a reporter, Amjad added.
However, Dhaka University Chhatra League General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Saikat denied both allegations and said, "Chhatra League has no connection with this attack. As much as I heard, the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad carried out attack on some general students of the university."
Prof. AKM Golam Rabbani, proctor of Dhaka University, said, "I have heard about an attack. However, Chhatra Odhikar parishad didn’t take any permission from University authority. They should not create any unrest on the campus."
Two city college teachers quit under BCL pressure
Two teachers of Government City College, Chattogram have resigned from their respective posts in the face of movement by local unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League that accused them of failure to print images of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the college’s academic calendar.
The two are the college Teachers’ Council secretary Azam Mohammad Anowar Sadat and Teachers’ Club Secretary Mohammad Golam Mohiuddin.
They submitted the resignation papers to college Principal Dr Sudipa Dutta from their posts on Thursday afternoon.
The college unit BCL men have been agitating to press home their four-point demand including resignation of the teachers since the calendar was printed with no images of Bangabandhu and the premier.
The demands included relieving the duo teachers from the posts of Teachers’ Club and Teachers’ Council, taking administrative measures against printing committee Convener Md Alamgir and Member Secretary Arif Moin Uddin Khan, republishing the calendar by cancelling earlier one and excluding teachers having anti-liberation spirit, from the sub-committee of any programme in future.
Contacted, principal Dr Sudipa acknowledged that the teachers stepped down from the posts in the face of demand by the BCL.
The teachers, however, declined to make comments on this issue.
The college unit BCL Convener Ashis Sarkar Nayon said they have been protesting since they noticed that images of Bangabandhu and the PM were missing from the calendar.
“Finally the teachers resigned from their posts due to our movement,” he added.
Five-day classes a week in new curriculum: Dipu Moni
According to the new curriculum approved by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, five days of classes will be held in a week in school and colleges, Education minister Dipu Moni has said.
Earlier, the government took a decision for 5-day class routine a week to save electricity, but now it will be held according to the new curriculum, the minister told journalists at Chandpur Circuit house on Thursday.
The teachers as well as the students will get a break for two days because they also need rest. The new curriculum was approved keeping this in mind," she added.
The education minister also said that all the teachers in the technical department were appointed in the last 4 years.
Before that, no teacher was appointed for almost 10 years, she added.
"We have no teacher crisis at this moment. The vacant posts are being filled as we are recruiting teachers on a regular basis", Dipu said.
Among others, Deputy Commissioner Kamrul Hasan, Superintendent of Police Md. Milan Mahmud, District Awami League Organizing Secretary Tofazzal Hossain Sdu Patwari were also present.
International Education Summit and Expo 2023 begins at Shimanto Square Thursday
The two-day International Education Summit and Expo 2023 (IESE) will begin Thursday at Shimanto Square in the capital's Dhanmondi.
Students will get a 10 percent to 100 percent scholarship during this expo.
The Education Summit and Expo 2023 has been organised by SS Business Corporation and supported by Spanish organisation Gestion Educativa Consultores, and Learn and Study Germany.
The goal of the expo is to attract a large number of Bangladeshi students who are interested in pursuing further studies abroad, said the organiser in a media statement.
Around 50 university representatives from Australia, Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US will be present at the expo.
Body formed to probe ragging ‘by BCL leader, assocaites’ at IU
A five-member committee has been formed at Islamic University in Kushtia to investigate the ragging incident allegedly by a leader and some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student organisation of Awami League.
The committee headed by IU Law department chairperson Professor Reba Mondolat was formed at a meeting with IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair on Wednesday morning.
Among others, IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman, treasurer Professor M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya and acting registrar HM Ali Hasan were present in the meeting.
Professor Debashish Sharma of Sheikh Russel Hall, Yeasmin Ara Sathi of Khaleda Zia Hall, assistant proctor Professor Murshid Alam Akas and IU academic section deputy registrar M Alib Uddin are the members of the committee.
They formed the investigation committee as two students- Fulpori Khatun of Finance and Banking department and Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora of Statistics department, submitted complaints against each other, IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan said.
The probe body was asked to submit its reports within seven working days, he added.
Legal action would be taken against those involved in the incident after getting the probe report, IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said.
Many female students of the Sheikh Hasina Hall of the university told UNB that such ragging incidents led by Ontora and her cohorts often happen at the hall but none of those were disclosed as they threatened and intimidated the victims not to disclose the matter.
The university administration should take legal action against the accused so that they could not dare to do such a heinous act in the future, they said.
Fulpori Khatun, a first year student of Finance and Banking department, was reportedly tortured and harassed by Islamic University unit Bangladesh Chhatra League vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia on Sunday night.
The incident came to light after the victim left the hall and disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members on Monday.
The victim on Tuesday submitted a written complaint to the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment for those involved in the incident.
IU fresher alleges ragging by BCL leader, her associates
A first year female student of Islamic University on Tuesday submitted a written complaint against a Chhatra League leader and her associates for ragging her, stripping her clothes off and filming the incident on mobile phones.
The student also claimed that she was threatened by the BCL leader that her video would be spread if any complaint is logged against them to administration.
The victim, a student of 2021-22 session of Banking and Finance department of the university, submitted the complaint to IU Proctor Prof Dr. Shahadat Hossain Azad and student counselor Prof Dr. Shelina Nasreen, accusing Sanjida Chowdhury Antara, vice-president of Islamic University’s BCL unit and a student of the university’s Statistics Department (2078-18), her associate Tabassum, of the same department, and 7 to 8 unidentified ones seeking justice for physical and mental harassment.
In the written complaint, the victim said, “On February 07, I went to Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall’s 306 no room as a guest of my one close senior because my semester final was near. On February 9, I was asked to meet one of a senior students named Tabassum, but I could not go as I was sick. From then, they started attacking me, misbehaved with me threatened me to throw out of the hall.”
“They repeatedly asked me why entered the hall without informing them. Despite my answer that I went to the hall as a guest they took me to a common room on Sunday night and started beating me, they slapped me and hurled abusive words”, said the victim in the complaint letter.
“At one stage, they asked me to takeoff my clothes. As I didn’t agree, they started beating me again and took off my clothes, forcibly and filmed it. They also threatened me to make me feed of dog and spread those videos if I give any complaint against them,” she wrote.
However, accused Sanjida Chowdhury Antara denied the allegation and said, “Nothing like this happened. Rather a brother known to that student threatened to pick me up on phone.”
Professor Dr. Shamsul Alam, provost of the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, said, “Some students complained that a first year girl misbehaved with some seniors. Later I and the members of the proctorial body settled the matter together. But no one said anything about what happened to her afterwards. If we receive a written complaint, the hall authorities will look into the matter and take action.”
Prof Dr. Sheikh Abdus Salam, Vice Chancellor of the university, said that ragging is unexpected in the university.
The matter will be investigated in detail and action will be taken, said the Vice Chancellor.
Govt to launch countrywide school feeding programme from June: State Minister
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain on Tuesday said the government will start feeding programme at all primary schools across the country from June this year.
The school feeding programme was launched in 104 upazilas of the country in 2010 in the poverty-stricken areas and ended in June, 2022, he said while speaking at a programme at the Ministry.
The school feeding programme played an effective role in fulfilling the nutritional need in children, cent enrollment in schools, regular attendance of students, reducing dropout rate and timely completion of education cycle, he said.
Read more: Primary scholarship exam results to be published by Feb 28
So, the government has taken steps to launch feeding programme at primary schools across the country, said the minister.
The government has taken an initiative to change 200 government primary schools’ names which are inappropriate, said Zakir.
“A policy regarding this was issued on 23 January 2022. We have decided to publish gazette within six months,” he said.
Primary scholarship exam results to be published by Feb 28
The results of primary scholarship examinations will be published between 25-28 February.
Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) Farid Ahmed disclosed the information at a press conference in the conference room of the secretariat on Tuesday.
“DPE Director General Shah Rezwan confirmed the matter,” he said.
Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the Primary Education Completion (PEC) examination has been suspended since 2020, and the government scrapped the PEC examinations last year.
The primary scholarship examination was held in December, 2022, 13 years after the last one in 2008.
A total of six lakh fifth-graders took part in the examination on 30 December 2022.
Among them, 80,000 students will get scholarships.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain was also present there.
Gazette in six months to change names of 200 govt primary schools: State Minister
The government has taken an initiative to change 200 government primary schools’ names which are inappropriate, said State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain.
“A policy regarding this was issued on 23 January 2022. We have decided to publish gazette within six months,” he said.
He said this at a press conference at the conference room of the secretariat on Tuesday.
"We will change the negative names with decent and inspiring ones that honor our history, culture, prominent figures, and freedom fighters,” he said.
Also Read: HC questions legality of primary school teacher recruitment on quota basis
Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) Farid Ahmed was also present there.
Dhaka School of Economics Assistant Professor Sara Tasneem earns PhD
Sara Tasneem, assistant professor of the Entrepreneurship Economics Programme of the Dhaka School of Economics (DSE), earned a PhD degree at Dhaka University (DU) recently.
The latest syndicate meeting of DU awarded her the degree. She earned her PhD from the Department of Banking and Insurance.
Sara's research topic was "Role of Private Commercial Banks in Accelerating the Economic Growth of Bangladesh."
The DSE assistant professor did her undergraduate and postgraduate in economics at Dhaka University in 2002 and 2003. Later, she did a masters in business administration in finance at the Daffodil International University.
Sara has been teaching at the university level for around 15 years.
Also, she has engaged herself in research in different branches of economics, especially entrepreneurship economics.