Academic and financial activities at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) have remained suspended for the past four months due to the absence of a vice-chancellor.
Over 1,100 teachers and staff members have not received their salaries for May, nor have they been given their Eid-ul-Azha festival allowances, all due to the lack of a VC authorised to approve payments, said sources at KUET.
Besides, development projects worth Tk 600 crore have come to a standstill, as contractors await payment. Without the VC’s signature, the university cannot access funds allocated for the current fiscal year, which must be utilised by June 30 or risk triggering a financial crisis.
On May 29, KUET Registrar Engr Md Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan wrote to the chancellor and the secretary of the Ministry of Education, seeking temporary authority to handle financial matters until a new VC is appointed.
However, there has been no solution yet.
Earlier, on May 25, a group comprising faculty members, deans, department heads, directors and hall provosts sent a letter to the education adviser via Professor Abul Kalam Azad, dean of Science and Humanities, calling for urgent intervention.
Yet, no response has been received to date.
In a fresh development, a meeting was scheduled to take place on Sunday morning to explore ways of resuming financial operations. KUET syndicate members, deans, directors and project heads were expected to attend.
It was anticipated that the meeting would result in a formal proposal to appoint an interim official to oversee financial activities, which would then be forwarded to the education ministry for approval.
KUET has been without executive leadership since May 22, when acting VC Professor Md Hazrat Ali resigned via text message following a no-confidence campaign.
Earlier, on April 25, the Education Ministry removed former VC Prof Muhammad Masud and Pro-VC Prof Shariful Alam amid student protests.