BM Report:
Professor Dr. Sadeka Halim has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Jagannath University (JnU), making her the first female to hold this position in the university’s history. Her appointment was approved by President Mohammed Shahabuddin and announced in a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Education on Thursday.
Professor Halim is a distinguished sociologist with an extensive career in academia and public service. She currently serves as the Chairperson of the Department of Sociology at Dhaka University, where she has been a faculty member since 1988. She holds a PhD in Sociology from McGill University in Canada.
In addition to her academic achievements, Professor Halim has also served as the first female Information Commissioner of Bangladesh and was a member of the National Education Policy Formulation Committee-2010. She is widely respected for her commitment to social justice, gender equality, and academic excellence.
Professor Halim’s appointment as Vice Chancellor of JnU is a significant milestone for the university and for Bangladeshi women in higher education. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the role, and her leadership is expected to further enhance the university’s reputation as a leading institution of higher learning in Bangladesh.
Jagannath University, established in 1995, is a public university located in Jessore, Bangladesh. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various disciplines.
Plagiarism allegations against new VC
Professor Sadeka Halim, the newly appointed Vice Chancellor of Jagannath University, faces accusations of plagiarism in research conducted during her time as Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at Dhaka University. Back in 2021, teachers from two public universities formally requested an investigation into these allegations, providing evidence to support their claims.
Despite these concerns, Professor Halim was chosen as Jagannath University’s new VC, leading to protests and disappointment among students and faculty. Many question the decision, arguing that qualified individuals already exist within the university who could have been appointed instead. The issue has been widely discussed on social media, highlighting doubts surrounding the appointment and the need for transparency within the university’s administration.
