Islamic University lays off 268 daily and lump-sum staff amid funding crisis; three months' arrears to be paid
The Islamic University (IU) administration has laid off 268 daily labour and lump-sum (block-grant) employees. The university's vice-chancellor, Professor Dr AKM Motinur Rahman, confirmed the matter on Wednesday (4 November).
According to university sources, for a long time the university had been unable to obtain University Grants Commission (UGC) approval and funding allocations for manpower recruitment. In that situation, employees were appointed on contract or lump-sum terms in various offices under special consideration. A portion of those laid off had been appointed under the dependents' (poshya) quota.
Many of these employees had been serving for 10 to 20 years in the hope of permanent appointment. But with no UGC allocation and no money in the university's own fund, the decision was eventually taken to lay them off.
The layoff decision was taken at the university's 276th syndicate meeting, held on 1 November, where the dismissal of daily labour and lump-sum-funded employees was decided.
Explaining the decision, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr AKM Motinur Rahman said it was taken at the syndicate meeting on the basis of a UGC letter. The university has no fund of its own, and no money is being received from either the government or the UGC to bear these employees' costs, so for now the university cannot carry their salaries and allowances. He stressed that this was not his personal decision, but the syndicate's.
On the future path for manpower recruitment, the vice-chancellor said that if the university faces a manpower shortage, a requisition for the necessary posts must be sent to the UGC. The commission will scrutinise it and approve the required manpower, and the university is now moving through that process. He added that efforts would also be made to keep the cases of those currently working under consideration.
Regarding the laid-off employees' unpaid wages, the vice-chancellor said that, in line with the syndicate's decision, their last three months of arrears salary will be paid.
