Dr. Md. Abul Kalam has taken over as the National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER)’s Acting Director, replacing Dr. Mohammad Junaebur Rashid in the role. Prior to this assignment, Dr. Kalam served as an Assistant Professor at the institution.
On Saturday, 5th October, the announcement was made at the Gulshan office of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), when it was also decided to accept Dr. Rashid’s resignation. Dr. Kalam will continue to perform in this role until more notice.
The move follows a protracted disruption of the school’s instructional activities, which were put on hold for more than a month as a result of a demonstration calling for the dismissal of fourteen academic staff members and administrators who were alleged to have committed corruption. In addition, the students demanded the director’s resignation over claims that he had enabled unethical behaviour at the institute.
Students continued to demonstrate in spite of the suspension of courses; on 30 September, they staged a human chain demonstration in front of the BTMA building at the intersection of Panthapath and restated their demands for accountability and the return of academic activity.
On 1st October, BTMA representatives met at the president’s office with a delegation of nine students in reaction to the ongoing disturbance. A number of resolutions were adopted after this meeting, one of which called for the governing body to reconvene soon to discuss the issues brought up.
The appointment of Dr. Kalam coincides with a pivotal moment in the institution’s endeavours to manage the obstacles presented by the latest developments and re-establish academic activities as usual.