United News of Bangladesh

Five teachers of the Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have been suspended , after allegations of their involvement in illegal recruitment and promotion rackets were proven to be true upon investigation. The decision was made during the university's 95th syndicate meeting held December 5th, as stated in a letter issued on Monday. The suspended teachers are Dr. Masrura Mostafa, professor in the Department of Humanities and Business; Dr. Subrata Talapatra, professor in the IEM Department; Dr. Md. Ikramul Haque, associate professor in the BECM Department; Nibhin Mandal, assistant professor in the ESE Department; and Shahriar Roman, assistant professor in the Department of Humanities and Business. Shaheduzzaman Sheikh, Section Officer in charge of the university's Public Relations Department, said the allegations were investigated before taking action. The findings, which indicated evidence of misconduct, were presented to the syndicate before the decision was made, he added.

The online application process for the 47th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) Examination, which was slated to begin on December 10, 2024, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, according to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC). In a press release, the BPSC assured candidates that a revised timeline for the application process would be announced soon, pending necessary approvals. First year admission process begins in agricultural universities Initially, the application period was scheduled to run from December 10 to December 31, 2024, closing at 11:59 pm. Applicants have been advised to monitor updates on the official BPSC website (www.bpsc.gov.bd) or Teletalk Bangladesh Limited’s portal (bpsc.teletalk.com.bd), where the official notice has been published. Former VC of KUET opts for retirement, nine officials suspended The postponement follows the circular published by the Public Service Commission on November 28, 2024, which announced 3,688 vacancies for the 47th BCS examination. The circular detailed opportunities across various cadres and generated significant interest among aspirants nationwide.

The admission process for the first year of undergraduate level in nine agricultural universities has started. Khalilur Rahman, Senior Deputy Director of Public Relations and Publication Office of Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU), confirmed the matter to UNB on Monday. The process will start from today and continue till December 12, said Khalilur Rahman. Dhaka University launches shuttle bus service on trial basis for students  A total of 3,718 seats are available across the nine universities this year. The seat distribution is as follows: 1,116 seats in Bangladesh Agricultural University, 270 in Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, 435 in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, 698 in Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, 448 in Patuakhali Science and Technology University, 431 in Sylhet Agricultural University, 150 in Khulna Agricultural University, 90 in Habiganj Agricultural University and 80 in Kurigram Agricultural University. A total of 75,017 candidates applied for the cluster admission test this year, of whom 51,836 appeared for the examination.

Eleven outstanding Bangladeshi students in Germany have been awarded scholarships during a ceremony organized by the Bangladeshi Students' Association in Germany (BaHSiG). Sponsored by Taptap Send and Degreeola.com, the one-time scholarships, each worth €300 (approximately Tk 40,000), were distributed on December 7 in Berlin. The event, attended by about 150 Bangladeshi students, featured a get-together and a traditional Bangladeshi buffet. It was graced by Minister (Political) of the Bangladesh Embassy in Germany Kazi Mohammad Jabed Iqbal as the chief guest. Other notable guests included Dr. Mashud Kabir, Chief Engineer of Digitalization and Automation at Deutsche Bahn, Mr. Zulkar Nine, a faculty member at Chemnitz Technical University, and Ms. Ummay Ubaida Shegupta, a researcher in the same institution. The scholarship recipients were selected based on their academic achievements, leadership skills, and dedication to contributing to Bangladesh's development. The awardees are pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in diverse fields, including data science, astrophysics, and international economics, at various German universities. Opportunities and Challenges for Bangladeshi StudentsChief guest Jabed Iqbal highlighted Germany’s promising opportunities for Bangladeshi students, while acknowledging challenges like long visa processing times. He assured that discussions are ongoing with German authorities to address these issues. Dr. Mashud Kabir emphasized the symbolic value of the scholarship, encouraging recipients to strive for excellence and contribute to Bangladesh’s development. Faculty member Zulkar Nine advised students to focus on completing their studies to build successful careers, while researcher Ummay Ubaida Shegupta stressed the importance of determination and skill in unlocking Germany’s limitless opportunities. Scholarship Recipients: Sajidul Islam (Bioengineering, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences) Md Luthful Bari (Chemistry, Free University of Berlin) Rakibul Islam (Electrical Systems Engineering, University of Paderborn) Sangida Akter Mouli (Logistics Engineering, Duisburg-Essen University) Khan Mohammad Shayshab Azad (Information and Communication Engineering, Berlin University of Applied Sciences) Nandita Chakrobortty (Data Science, Technical University Dortmund) Md Zobair Hossain (Management of Textile Trade and Technology, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences) Molla Md Tamal Hossain (Environmental Engineering, Technical University Darmstadt) Md Delwar Hossain (Cognitive Systems, University of Potsdam) Zubaida Karim Juthy (Astrophysics and Space Science, University of Bremen) Khadiza Akter (International and Development Economics, University of Applied Sciences for Engineering and Economics) The ceremony also featured Bangladeshi musical performances by students Jobayer Hossain Shuvo and Nure Alam Shanto. About the Sponsors and Organisers Taptap Send is a low-cost money transfer service aiming to make international remittances simple and affordable. Users can avail of a €20 bonus with the promo code EGALTUBE until December 31, 2024. Degreeola.com is a platform providing resources on scholarships, higher education, and migration, supporting individuals in their academic and career pursuits. BaHSiG offers guidance and networking opportunities for Bangladeshi students in Germany, fostering academic and cultural collaboration.

The University of Asia Pacific (UAP) is hosting the International Conference on Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences (ICPHS) 2024 on December 6-7, highlighting the impact of international collaboration in addressing major healthcare challenges. The Department of Pharmacy at UAP has organised the conference in partnership with Universitas Sumatera Utara, Indonesia, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. This global platform enables professionals in pharmaceutical, medical, and health sciences to exchange knowledge. Distinguished speakers from 10 countries – Japan, the USA, China, the UK, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nepal, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Bangladesh – are participating in the event. The two-day conference opened with a ceremony led by Prof. Dr. Mohiuddin Ahmed Bhuiyan, Chairman of ICPHS 2024 and Dean of the School of Medicine at UAP. He stressed the importance of collaboration, saying, "We look forward to engaging in dynamic discussions and exchanging ideas over the next two days, with experts from ten countries underscoring the global significance of this event." Architect Mahbuba Haque, Chairman of the BOT at UAP, also addressed the attendees, highlighting the importance of global cooperation. Md. Saidur Rahman, Secretary of the Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, as the chief guest at the event. He highlighted the urgent need for innovation and collaboration in healthcare to achieve sustainable development goals, saying, "As we gather here to exchange ideas and innovations, I am reminded of the power of students to bring about meaningful change that leads to this new era." Prof. Dr. Qumrul Ahsan, Vice Chancellor of UAP, spoke on the value of international collaboration in advancing healthcare and expressed his gratitude to the organisers for their efforts in ensuring the event's success. The event welcomed an esteemed group of participants, including Md. Nasser Shahrear Zahedee, Member of PCB; Prof. Dr. Md. Selim Reza, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Dhaka University; Dr. Samina Ahmed, Chairman of BCSIR; and Muhammad Mahbubul Haq, Secretary of PCB. Professor Dr. Irin Dewan, Head of the Department of Pharmacy, and Dr. Shihab Uddin Ahmed, Secretary of ICPHS 2024, also attended. The conference featured numerous plenary and invited speakers, along with oral and poster presentations. Over two days, nine key symposiums covered topics such as pharmaceutics, biotechnology, pharmacy education, infectious diseases, oncology, epidemiology, and allied health sciences. The event will conclude on December 7, 2024, with an award ceremony for the best presenters and a gala dinner at Hotel InterContinental Dhaka. ICPHS 2024 underscores UAP's commitment to advancing pharmaceutical research and fostering global academic exchange while providing valuable networking opportunities that encourage future collaborations and innovations.

Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmad Khan, met with Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus at the state guesthouse, Jamuna, on Tuesday. During the meeting, the Vice-Chancellor briefed the Chief Adviser on various university matters, including the current status of academic and research activities, ongoing development projects, progress in resolving faculty-student conflicts, and recent measures taken for student welfare. Read: Dhaka University students leverage Facebook, YouTube for learning: Research Dr. Yunus expressed satisfaction with the university’s progress in education and research and assured full support for further advancements in these areas. This meeting is part of a regular update on the university’s overall developments shared with the Chief Adviser.

Professor M Yaqub Ali and Professor M Jahangir Alam have taken charge as the new pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer of Islamic University in Kushtia. A press release, signed by IU information, publication and public relations office deputy director Rajibul Islam Kanok, was issued in this regard on Monday night.  Former VC of KUET opts for retirement, nine officials suspended The newly appointed pro-vice-chancellor and treasurer signed the joining papers in a ceremony held at IU vice-chancellor's office at around 8:30pm on Monday. IU vice-chancellor Professor Nakib M Nasrullah, theology and Islamic studies faculty dean Professor ABM Siddiqur Rahman Asrafi, acting registrar HM Ali Hasan, among others, were present on the occasion

Dhaka University (DU) has launched a shuttle bus service on a three-month trial basis to ease student commute on campus. DU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Niaz Ahmed Khan officially inaugurated the shuttle bus service at a ceremony held on the university campus on Thursday. The service aims to alleviate transportation challenges for students moving between various departments, residential halls, and other facilities. Professor Dr. Niaz said that although the shuttle bus service has a limited capacity, it has been introduced to facilitate students' internal movement on campus. He extended his heartfelt congratulations to everyone involved in the initiative. Emphasizing the importance of proper supervision, maintenance, and control of the service, he urged that all stakeholders, including students, must play their part in ensuring its success. He also mentioned that if the pilot project proves successful in improving campus transportation, it could be expanded in the future.

Former Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) Prof Mihir Ranjan Halder has sought voluntary retirement. In another development nine people, including the former pro-VC and two deputy registrars, have been temporarily suspended on charges of various irregularities and corruption, including recruitment. The suspension order was issued following accusations of recruitment irregularities, including appointing individuals without requisite experience and hiring based on forged certificates. JnU to conduct independent admission tests, exits integrated cluster system The KUET authorities communicated the decisions through official letters on Wednesday. The suspended individuals include former Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Sobhan Mia, Professor Dr. Pintu Chandra Shil of the CSE department, Deputy Registrar Nimai Chandra Mistry Dolon, Deputy Registrar Dibashish Mondal, Assistant Director of Public Relations and Information Manoj Kumar Majumder, Assistant Comptroller GM Abu Sayeed, Assistant Programmer Omar Faruk, Assistant Technical Officer Mehedi Hasan Razon, and peon Satyajit Kumar Dutta. This list may increase further, added the KUET authority. Current Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Masud, who assumed office on August 5, initiated efforts to address various irregularities dating back to 2007. His office received numerous written complaints against several officials starting September 15. Special committee formed to review political activities on DU campus To investigate the allegations, a six-member committee was formed under the leadership of Professor Dr. Ashraful Gani Bhuiyan as chairman and Registrar Engineer Md. Anisur Rahman as member secretary. The committee’s findings led to recommendations for action, which were discussed during a Syndicate meeting on November 21. The Syndicate subsequently authorized actions based on the committee's recommendations. KU Teachers’ Association's ex- President Professor Dr. Shibendu Shekhar Shikdar also submitted a written resignation on November 24.

Speakers at the seminar have blamed the disunity among Muslim nations for Israel's aggression against Palestine. The seminar titled "Is Modern Technology Responsible for Israel’s Aggression?" was organised by "Shikkharti Bhavna" at the Auditorium of the Department of Microbiology, Dhaka University, on Monday. Professor Mohammad Zahirul Islam of the Department of Islamic Studies at Dhaka University said, "Israel can carry out aggression against Palestine because we, the Muslims, are not united. While all NATO countries work together, Muslim states remain divided. The Middle East’s instability is intentionally created to sell American weapons, and the same money is used against Muslims. If we had a Khilafat today, we would stay united. A Khilafat would have even made the Americans afraid." Md Sabbir Hossain, a lecturer in CSE at East West University, blamed advancements in modern technology for Israel's aggression. He said, "Since 1948, nearly 140,000 Palestinians have been killed, while fewer than 10,000 Israelis have died. Israel's technology is far superior to Palestine's." He added, "In the 20th century alone, wars killed 150-200 million people. In the previous 900 years, not as many people died. This is all due to modern technology." Professor Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury of the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University said, "Jews and Christians consider how they can confront Muslims and occupy their lands because Muslims control vital geographical regions. They control the oil-rich areas and crucial sea routes. They create conflicts among Muslims in various ways. Therefore, to defeat Israel, the OIC must make decisions like NATO does. All countries must work together." Jihad, a residential student from Palestine at Dhaka University’s International Hall, said, "People in Gaza lack basic human needs. They don’t get food. You must never stop speaking in support of Palestine." Other speakers included journalist Masud Kamal, Professor Dr. Mohammad Akhtar Hossain Khan, Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences at Dhaka University, and Professor Mohammad Ruhul Amin from the Department of International Relations at Dhaka University.