Noted educationalist and former Dhaka University vice-chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique has been appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of national news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

The Ministry of Information issued a gazette notification in this regard on Wednesday and said the appointment is effective from the date of gazette issuance.

Other members of the board are - Abul Kalam Azad, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the BSS; Joint Secretary (Press) of Information Ministry; a delegate (official with the rank of at least joint secretary) from Finance Division; a delegate from Public Security Division; a delegate from Foreign Ministry; Chief Information Officer of Information Ministry; Atiq Ullah Khan Masud, Editor of Dainik Janakantha;  Altamash Kabir, editor of Dainik  Sangbad; MA Maleque, editor of Dainik Azadi of Chattogram; Mozammel Haque, Managing Director of Ekattor Media Limited (71 TV); a delegate from the ICT Division and Madhu Sudan Mondol, city editor of BSS. 

The Board was formed for the next three years with a view to smoothly conducting administrative activities and overall management of the national news agency, added the notification. 

Prof Arefin Siddique served as the 27th vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka from 2009 to 2017. 

After completing his tenure as VC, he rejoined the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism and resuemd his academic duties. 

The noted academic also served as president of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) for three consecutive terms and was convener of the Awami League backed faction of DU teachers.