United News of Bangladesh

A premium Cambridge curriculum school in Bangladesh, Glenrich International School (GIS) was launched on Thursday to promote the idea of ‘School of Life’ and prepare the learners for the future world. Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni inaugurated the campus as the chief guest while Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi as a guest of honour and Deputy Education Minister Mr. Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury as special guest were present. Education Minister Dipu Moni said that Bangladesh has made notable progress in expanding access to education over the decade. "The government is trying to bring about significant changes in the education landscape. It is amazing to see that STS Group is also contributing in this regard by launching this premium school called Glenrich. I believe this school will make the learners fit for the future world," he said. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said, "We are pleased to see the beautiful campus of Glenrich International School (GIS) and everything that it promises. Bangladesh is steadily growing in various sectors, including the education industry." Chairman of STS Group Bob Kundanm said that they are committed to continuously invest in providing best quality education for the future generation of Bangladesh. "Our focus is to bring the development of Bangladesh’s youth at par with the highest standards of global competency and to do that we have taken the initiative to introduce the concept of School of life – equipping our young with the necessary skillset for the future along with an enhanced curriculum.” Glenrich is promoting a 'school of life' concept, where students will learn about scholastic subjects and be encouraged to continue creative pursuits in a caring and nurturing environment.    

Professor M Maksudur Rahman of the geography and environment department has been appointed as the new proctor of Dhaka University (DU). He replaced Professor AKM Golam Rabbani of the Islamic history and culture department. DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Akhtaruzzaman appointed Maksudur as the new proctor, said Registrar Probir Kumar Sarker Wednesday. "I received the appointment letter today. If everything goes well, I will assume my new role tomorrow," Maksudur told UNB. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the geography and environment department of DU in 1994 in 1996, respectively. Maksudur earned a PhD in human geography from the University of Hull in the UK in 2008.

The victim who was ousted from his hall by a group of activists of Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student organisation of the ruling Awami League, returned to the campus on Monday. Mahadi Hasan, a third-year student of finance and banking department of the university, returned to the campus in the afternoon three days after he was ousted from the Lalon Shah Hall of the university. The BCL men ousted Mahadi almost one month after a fresher of the same department was tortured and humiliated by ruling party-backed student body’s IU unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her four cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hall on February 12 night. Returning to the campus, Mahadi sought cooperation of the university administration for his security measures. IU Lalon Shah Hall provost Professor M Obaydul Islam said that the victim who was ousted from the hall returned to the hall. They would take necessary action against those found involved in ousting the student from the hall after getting reports from the probe body formed by the hall administration, he added. IU proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad told UNB that they would assist Mahadi like other students on the campus so that none could create chaos regarding the issue. Earlier, a group of IU BCL unit activists, including Torikul Islam Torun and Razu of Bangla department and Fahim Faisal of development studies department, loyal to IU BCL general secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy, asked Mahadi to meet them. Mahadi met the BCL activists who then forced him to leave the room. They also threw his valuables, including books and belongings, out of the room. Mahadi later lodged a written complaint against the BCL activists with the hall provost in this connection on Saturday. The Lalon Shah Hall administration formed a three-member probe body led by the hall’s house tutor Professor M Helal Uddin to investigate the incident on Sunday.

A single admission test will be held in all universities of the country from next year, Education Minister Dipu Moni said on Monday. National Testing Authority (NTA) will be formed to conduct the exam, the minister said at a policy-making meeting on the single admission test for the academic year 2023-2024 held at UGC. Dipu Moni called upon the concerned to prepare for the single admission test from now on. Besides, a committee headed by the UGC chairman will be formed soon regarding the solo entrance test, she added. UGC Chairman Prof Dr. Kazi Shahidullah presided over the meeting while members of the commission Prof Dr. Dil Afroza Begum, Prof Dr. Md. Sajjad Hossain, Secondary and Higher Education Department Additional Secretary Md Abu Yusuf Mia and UGC Secretary Dr. Ferdous Zaman were also present. The examination procedure will be discussed in detail with the dean of the university and the examination committee in this regard, the minister said, adding that the schedule of the single entrance examination will be published after HSC examination. She said that the initiative is being taken for the sake of students and guardians and hoped that there will be no chance to raise any questions about its quality. Teaching can be started in a short period of time if the admission test is held simultaneously in all universities, UGC Chairman Kazi Shahidullah said. The success of the single admission test would be a huge achievement in the higher education sector, he hoped.    

Bangladesh Chhatra League publicity secretary of Jashore Government Michael Madhusudan (MM) College unit Nur Islam has been relieved from the post. Nur Islam has been relieved from the organization for his involvement in activities against the principles the organization, said a press release signed by District  BCL president Salauddin  Kabir Pias and general secretary Tanjib Nowshad Pallab on Sunday. He was recommended to the Central Committee of Bangladesh Chhatra League for expulsion. District Chhatra League president Salauddin Kabir Pias said, "Reports have been published in various media about the harassment of the students of Sheikh Hasina Hall of the college and the attempt to abduct a student. After discussing with the president and secretary of the central Chhatra League, Nur Islam was relieved from the post. At the same time, he has been recommended to be expelled.” Students of Sheikh Hasina Hall alleged that outsiders and non-students, led by Nur Islam, stay at Shaheed Asad Hall and harass the students of Sheikh Hasina Hall in various ways. On January 31, the students gave a written complaint to the principal in this regard. On January 21, an attempt was made to abduct a student of Geography and Environmental Science department under the leadership of Nur Islam. Later, with the help of the police, the girl returned home.  

Dhaka University has suspended a student of the Department of Criminology for harassing a female student. Suspended Sakin Tanvir is a student of the 2016-17 academic session. In this regard, the authorities sent him a show-cause notice and asked him to respond within seven days as to why he shouldn't be expelled. During investigation, he was found guilty of sexually harassing junior female students of the department, the release said. "DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman approved the suspension," said a press release issued by DU Public Relations Office.

The Lalon Shah Hall administration of Islamic University in Kushtia appointed a three-member probe committee Sunday to investigate the alleged incident of a residential student getting kicked out of the hall by activists of the university's Bangladesh Chhatra League unit. Mahadi Hasan, a third year student of finance and banking department of the university, was ousted from the Lalon Shah Hall by a group of BCL activists, hardly one month after a fresher of the same department was tortured and humiliated by its vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her four cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hall. IU Lalon Shah Hall provost Professor M Obaydul Islam formed the probe body to be led by house tutor Professor M Helal Uddin. The hall’s house tutor Partha Sharothi Laskar and assistant proctor Professor Shariful Islam Jewel are the two other members of the probe body. The body was asked to submit its reports within seven working days, the hall provost said. The hall administration would take necessary steps in this connection against the accused involved in the incident after getting the report from the probe body, he added. Earlier, a group of IU BCL unit activists including Torikul Islam Torun and Razu of Bangla department and Fahim Faisal of development studies, loyal to IU BCL general secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy, asked Mahadi to meet them. He met the BCL activists who forced him to leave the room, asking who permitted him to get hold of the seat. They also threw out his valuables including books and belongings from the room. Mahadi later lodged a written complaint against the BCL activists with the hall provost on Saturday. On February 12 night, a first-year female student of the finance and banking department was reportedly tortured and intimated by IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts, including Tabassum, Mim, Urmi and Maobiya in Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia. Ontora, at one stage, forced the victim to undress and videoed the incident on her mobile phone. She also threatened the victim that she would make the video viral on social media if the victim disclosed the matter to anyone. The incident drew huge protests in Islamic University as well as other educational institutions across the country. Meanwhile, the university authorities on Sunday morning brought out an anti-ragging rally on the campus with a view to creating awareness among the students of the university. The rally ended in front of the university’s Mrittunjoyee Mujib Mural after parading the main roads of the campus. Addressing the rally, IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said that the university authorities would take stern action against any student found to be involved in torturing and humiliating anyone on the campus.  

A group of activists of Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling party student front, forcefully removed a student from his allocated seat at Lalon Shah Hall of the university. The victim, Mahadi Hasan, a third year student of finance and banking department of the university, lodged a written complaint in this connection with the hall provost Professor Obaydul Islam on Saturday, two days after the BCL activists allegedly forced him to leave the hall. According to the complaint, the victim was staying at his allocated seat of room no-428 after the hall administration had allocated a seat to him. A group of IU BCL activists including Torikul Islam Torun and Razu of Bangla department and Fahim Faisal of development studies, loyal to BCL IU unit general secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy, asked Mahadi to meet them on Friday night. Later, Mahadi met the BCL activists who forced him to leave the room after asking him who got him the room. They ousted his valuables including his books from the room, the complaint said. When contacted, Mahadi told UNB that the BCL activists threatened him on Thursday with dire consequences if he did not leave the room. "They kicked my bag and baggage from the room to the veranda," he said. Nasim Ahmed Joy denied the allegation saying that the matter of ousting the student from the hall was false as the student did not get in the seat allocated to him. So, there is no question of ousting him from the hall, he added. IU Lalon Shah Hall provost Professor Obaydul Islam said that he received a written complaint from the student and the issue would be solved soon after discussing the matter with the student and the BCL men.        

Without mentioning Prothom Alo, Dhaka University Teachers Association (DUTA) has waded into the controversy raging over the Independence Day content on the vernacular's website reported by its Savar correspondent and taken down after just 17 minutes of its own accord. DUTA today issued a notification signed by DUTA president Prof. Zinat Huda and general secretary Prof. Nizamul Houque Bhuiyan asking the government to take action against the "newspaper conspiring against the country." “Instead of the caption under the picture of a child, the report published the statement of a day laborer, which derided the freedom of the country. Also, although the caption reveals the comment as a day laborer's statement, no adult man is seen in the picture. According to an investigative report published in another media, the picture was taken by luring a child taking advantage of his poverty,” the notification reads. "When the government took legal measures in this regard, some circles including some international media are saying that the government is oppressive. But the reality is that the measures have been taken for using a child as a news material by providing incentives with dishonest purposes,” it says.

Dhaka University Journalists Association(DUJA) has expressed deep concern over the picking up of Prothom Alo reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams by Criminal Investigation Department(CID). In a joint statement on Thursday, its president Mamun Tushar and general secretary Sirajul Islam Rubel said, “The incident of picking up journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams from his residence by the law enforcement agency without any formal complaint or warrant is worrying. We believe that such incidents are a threat to the country's independent journalism and freedom of media.” “Any complaint against anyone can be addressed through normal legal process. Without doing so, the incident of picking up of a journalist from his house early in the morning is not desirable at all. We believe that there should be sincere cooperation of authorities of the government to uphold the freedom of media recognized by the constitution. At the same time, we demand the release of all the journalists arrested under the Digital Security Act and justice for the attacks and torture on journalists in the country at various times,” the statement reads. Prothom Alo's reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams, working in Savar near capital Dhaka, was picked up from his house in Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University in the early hours of Wednesday morning by the CID accusing him of publishing a ‘false’ and ‘fabricated’ report. “Jahangirnagar University Chief Security Officer Sudipta Shaheen was with the CID when Shamsuzzaman Shams was picked up. He also admitted that CID members called the owner of the house where Shamsuzzaman lives when he was picked up from home. They told the owner of the house that the state has objections regarding a report made by Shamsuzzaman and  he is being taken for questioning,”the statement also reads.