The government yesterday temporarily appointed a new vice-chancellor (VC) for Dhaka University following the expiry of the term of AAMS Arefin Siddique. The tenure of AAMS Arefin Siddique had ended on August 24, but he was carrying out his duties as the Supreme Court (SC) had ordered the High Court (HC) to settle a dispute over the appointment of a new VC from a three-member panel selected by Senate members.

The government yesterday issued a circular on the appointment of the new VC of DU on a temporary basis at a time when a case is pending in the court and a hearing is due on October 3.

 The circular, signed by deputy secretary Habibur Rahman and put up on the education ministry website yesterday, said the President, who is also the chancellor of Dhaka University, had temporarily appointed Prof. Akhteruzzaman as the vice-chancellor under Provision 11(2) of DU Order 1973 for properly carrying out the academic and administrative work of the university, following the expiry of the tenure of Arefin Siddique.

Tagging a condition, the circular said Prof. Akhteruzzaman could be removed from his post at any time by the Chancellor if he deemed fit. On July 29, the DU Senate nominated a three-member panel of candidates for the post of the VC of the university. Incumbent VC AAMS Arefin Siddique, treasurer Prof. Kamal Uddin, and former Blue panel convener Prof. Abdul Aziz were on the panel.

But the pro-BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami White panel boycotted the Senate meeting for the nomination of a three-member panel for VC appointment. A section of students also protested outside the gates of the senate building on that day, demanding the presence of student representatives on the Senate body empowered to nominate the VC candidates.

On July 24, a writ petition was filed with the HC, seeking a stay order on the process for holding the Senate meeting on July 29. But the DU authorities later filed a petition with the SC chamber judge on July 27.

The chamber judge stayed the HC order and allowed the authorities to hold the meeting on July 29 and forwarded the matter to its full bench.

 On August 4, the Appellate Division stayed the HC order and allowed Prof. Arefin Siddique to carry out his duties as VC until the disposal of the HC rule on the legality of the Senate meeting that had prepared the VC panel on July 29.

Since the SC order, Arefin Siddique was carrying on his duties. But the government yesterday appointed a new VC as per Provision 11(2) of the DU Order 1973, which says: "Where any temporary vacancy in the office of the VC occurs by reason of leave, illness, resignation or any other cause, the Chancellor shall make such arrangements for carrying on duties of the office of the Vice-Chancellor as he may think fit."

 Arefin Siddique was first appointed the VC of DU on a temporary basis on Jan 17, 2009,and continued till he was elected VC on August 25, 2013 for four years. “I'm yet to receive the government’s order. I'm carrying out my task,” Arefin Siddique told The Independent yesterday.