Sheikh Rafiqul Islam formally assumed office as treasurer of the Bangladesh Open University (BOU) on Tuesday.
BOU Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan was present during the handover ceremony, reads a press release.
Congratulating the newly appointed treasurer, he expressed confidence that Rafiqul’s extensive academic and administrative experience would further strengthen the university’s financial management, governance, transparency and development activities.
He also wished him success in his new role.
Acting Registrar T M Ahmed Hossain, along with the university’s deans, directors and other officials, also attended the ceremony.
The Ministry of Education announced the appointment in a gazette issued on Monday, signed by Assistant Secretary Md Sultan Ahmed of the Public Universities Branch under the Secondary and Higher Education Division.
According to the gazette, the appointment was made with the approval of the President under Section 15(1) of the Bangladesh Open University Act, 1992.
Under the terms of the appointment, Rafiqul will serve as treasurer for four years from the date of joining or until his retirement, whichever comes first.
He will receive the salary and benefits equivalent to his current post, enjoy other benefits in accordance with the rules, reside full-time on the university campus, and perform the powers and responsibilities assigned under the university’s Act and statutes, as well as those delegated by the VC.
Rafiqul is currently a professor in the Department of Marketing at Jagannath University.
He earned first-class B.Com (Honours) and M.Com degrees in Marketing from the University of Dhaka before completing an MBA with a major in e-Business from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia, and a PhD in Relationship Marketing from Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM).
During a career spanning nearly 25 years in academia and administration, he has served at Bangladesh Open University, Jagannath University, Darul Ihsan University and Queen’s University in various capacities.
Between 2003 and 2008, he worked as a lecturer and assistant professor at BOU.
He has also served as chairman of the Department of Marketing and Director of the MBA (Evening) Programme at Jagannath University.
Before joining BOU as treasurer, he was director of the Finance and Accounts Office at Jagannath University.
He has also worked as a visiting professor at North South University, East West University and Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), among other institutions.
A well-known academic and researcher, Rafiqul’s research focuses on Relationship Marketing, Consumer Behaviour, Microfinance and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM).
He has published numerous research papers in national and international journals and has travelled to Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia and India for research, training and academic activities.
The BOU family welcomed Rafiqul to his new role and expressed confidence that his extensive experience and leadership would strengthen the university’s financial management, governance, transparency, accountability and development initiatives.
