BAU Teachers’ Assoc poll postponed: Pro-AL faction blamed

Mymensingh, Jan 11 – Bangladesh Agricultural University Teachers Association (BAUTA) election 2019 was postponed by showing unavoidable reasons in a notice signed by BAUTA General Secretary.
For the past 14 years, Awami League-backed teachers’ association ‘Gonotantrik Shikkhok Forum’ and BNP-Jamaat-backed teachers ‘Sonali Dal’ participated in the election. But ‘Sonali Dal’ boycotted the election as BAUTA did not publish any written statement for harassing a teacher of their association at the time of national election held on 30 December.
On the other hand, after the declaration of a boycott of the election by ‘Sonali Dal’, there was a division among the Awami League teachers.
Awami League-backed teachers’ association ‘Neel Dal’ condemned the postponement of the election.
Claiming them representing the true Awami League, the general secretary of the ‘Neel Dal’ Prof Md Sazzad Hossain said that, ‘in ‘the Gonotantrik Shikkhok Forum’ the Awami League, Jasad, Basad, Jatiya Party and various anti-BNP teachers took refuge. Now the ‘Gonotantrik Shikkhok Forum’ is completely occupied by the communists.’
They also demanded a separate panel of them took part in the 2005 BAUTA election.
‘Gonotantrik Shikkhok Forum’ president Prof Dr Lutful Hassan said, ‘I do not know why the ‘Neel Dol’ has emerged for the said cause. But since the establishment of the ‘Gonotantrik Shikkhok Forum’, it was an organization of the teachers who believe in the spirit of Awami League and independence.
About the postponement of the election, BAUTA president and the presiding officer Prof Dr Mahfuzul Bari said, ‘we are preparing for a participatory election by taking part in the teachers of all the groups.’ – BAU Correspondent