District Correspondent, Sylhet: Sylhet Medical University (SIMEBI) officers and employees deprived of salaries and benefits have issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) demanding job regularization.
The ultimatum was announced during a press conference held on Saturday afternoon at the university campus in Chowhatta, Sylhet. The written statement was presented on behalf of the deprived officers and employees by administrative officer Kazi Masud.
The written statement mentioned that since the university’s establishment in 2018, the officers and employees have carried out all activities smoothly, avoiding any session jams. They worked without salaries and benefits based on assurances from former Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Enayet Hossain Mukul. Not a single day’s work was halted.
The statement further stated that the former VC repeatedly assured them of job regularization. Subsequently, two recruitment circulars were published on June 17 and June 26, 2023, for vacant positions. However, the finalization of these advertisements is still pending. As a result, the employees had to resort to protests for job regularization and unpaid salary benefits. At one point, following assurances from the former VC and Registrar, the protests were suspended, and they returned to work.
Kazi Masud added that following the fall of the fascist regime of Hasina in the 2024 mass uprising, the former VC Enayet and Registrar Fazlur Rahman went into hiding. Enayet, a personal ophthalmologist to Hasina, and Fazlur, a former Chhatra League leader at MC College and a cadre of the Tilagarh group, disappeared from public view. Subsequently, anti-discrimination employees demanded their resignation. Under pressure, Registrar Fazlur Rahman was forced to resign on September 30, 2024.
On November 7, 2024, when news spread about VC Dr. Enayet Hossain’s return to campus, anti-discrimination employees blocked the VC, demanding updates on job regularization and unpaid salaries. After approximately two and a half hours, law enforcement, including police and military, intervened, and the VC assured them that their demands would be met within 15 days. The blockade was lifted thereafter.
Masud noted that 14 days into the 15-day deadline, the university’s 11th Syndicate formed a six-member committee led by Dean Professor Dr. Nazmul Islam. The committee was tasked with submitting a detailed report on the regularization of temporary employees and payment of salaries and benefits.
Based on discussions during the syndicate meeting, the committee was directed to review legal, financial, and administrative guidelines from the Ministry and UGC, and submit a comprehensive report considering the current situation.
Subsequently, on December 6, 2024, two advertisements were published with the Chancellor’s approval for the regularization of temporary appointees. Applications were due by December 19, and the employees submitted their applications accordingly. On December 20, VC Enayet Hossain submitted his resignation to the Ministry.
The applicants participated in oral examinations on January 31 and February 1, 2025. The examination board was chaired by Professor Dr. Nazmul Islam and included BM&DC Chairman Professor Dr. Saiful Islam, UGC Member Professor Dr. Anwar Hossain, and University Treasurer Md. Shah Alam.
On February 26, 2025, the newly appointed VC Professor Dr. Ismail Hossain Patwary took office. On March 16, Committee Chairman Dr. Nazmul Islam submitted the recommendations and report to the VC. He also informed in writing that he would be performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia from March 19 to March 25. Despite his absence, the VC convened the 12th Syndicate meeting on March 23. However, due to Dr. Nazmul Islam’s absence, no final decision regarding the report was made.
Since then, the VC has not operated from the Chowhatta campus office and instead uses temporary staff aligned with the previous administration at Osmani Medical College for official activities.
Giving the VC a 48-hour deadline, Kazi Masud urged for a Syndicate meeting within a week to finalize decisions on their demands. He further requested the VC to provide clear directives to employees within the 48-hour timeframe. Failure to comply would result in the announcement of stricter programs, including blockades. Over fifty deprived officers and employees of Sylhet Medical University attended the press conference.
