A probe into alleged recruitment irregularities at Islamic University in Kushtia during the Awami League regime has stalled amid disagreements among members of the five-member committee formed to investigate the allegations.
The committee was formed in March 2025 and was asked to submit its report within 90 days. However, it has yet to complete the process, while its convener has resigned and no new convener has been appointed.
Professor Farukuzzaman of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering was appointed convener, while Professor Abul Kalam Azad of the Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Professor Rashiduzzaman of the Department of Bangla and Professor Abdul Bari of the Department of Islamic History and Culture were made members, with Deputy Registrar Masudul Haque Talukder serving as the member secretary.
The committee was tasked with investigating allegations of irregularities in recruitment at the university during the previous Awami League government.
A committee member told UNB that the body faced various obstacles while collecting information, while there were also shortcomings in its own work.
According to the member, Prof Farukuzzaman formed three sub-committees and distributed the probe work among them. Only one of the three sub-committees submitted its report.
The committee members later disagreed over how the reports should be submitted to the university authorities.
Prof Farukuzzaman wanted to submit the reports prepared by the three sub-committees without summarising them, while the other members wanted the findings to be consolidated before submission so that all members could share responsibility for the final report, the committee source said.
The disagreement eventually led to altercations among the members, following which Prof Farukuzzaman resigned as convener.
No attempt has been made to reconstitute the committee since his resignation, according to the source.
Talking to UNB, Prof Farukuzzaman confirmed that he had resigned and said the committee had not been reformed, as far as he knew.
‘As no new convener has been appointed, it might be considered dissolved,’ he said.
Explaining his resignation, he said the committee faced operational problems and its members could not reach an agreement over the final submission of the report.
‘There were some operational problems in the committee. The committee members could not reach an agreement. I wanted to submit the report on the day I resigned, but other members wanted to make the process lengthy,’ he said.
He also rejected the suggestion that he had faced pressure over the probe.
‘There was nothing to summarise in the sub-committee reports. This demand was raised to prolong the process,’ he said.
Farukuzzaman said he had agreed to conduct the probe after the previous vice-chancellor requested him to submit the report.
‘I felt no pressure as it was just a fact-finding committee. The previous VC requested me to submit the report and I agreed to him, but I got no response from the other members,’ he said.
Islamic University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AKM Motinur Rahman told UNB that he had been informed of the matter and would decide the matter.