Allegations have surfaced that a former NGO worker was appointed as vice-principal of Patuakhali Collectorate School and College despite not meeting the conditions stipulated in the recruitment circular. There are also allegations that efforts are being made to extend the contractual appointment of the institution’s vice-principal, Mosa. Shahanara Akter, by another two years and eventually make her position permanent.

Shahanara Akter was appointed vice-principal of Patuakhali Collectorate School and College on January 14 this year. According to the appointment letter signed by Dr. Mohammad Shahid Hossain Chowdhury, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Patuakhali and chairman of the college’s governing board, she was appointed on a one-year contractual basis. She joined the institution the following day.

An investigation found that before joining as DC of Patuakhali, Mohammad Shahid Hossain Chowdhury had worked with the Local Government Division’s Upazila Governance and Development Project (UGDP), funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). At that time, Shahanara Akter was also working under the same project in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj.

According to a recruitment circular published on December 18 last year, candidates applying for the post of vice-principal were required to have at least 12 years of teaching experience. However, allegations have been made that although six teachers who met the stated qualifications applied for the position, only two of them were called for interviews. In contrast, Shahanara Akter was appointed despite allegedly lacking the required classroom teaching experience, according to one of the applicants.

Md. Moinul Islam, a senior teacher at Alhaj Abbas Uddin School in Pallabi, Mirpur, Dhaka, said, “I met the qualifications specified for the post of vice-principal. I have been teaching since 1996 and completed my honours and master’s degrees at the University of Dhaka. The principal of Islami Bank High School, Nasir Uddin, whom I know, also applied for the position. But neither of us was called for an interview.”

Clause 2 of the appointment letter, signed by the DC and chairman of the college’s governing board, Mohammad Shahid Hossain Chowdhury, states: “As this appointment is entirely contractual, it shall not create any right to permanent employment.”

Despite this provision, Shahanara Akter reportedly applied for permanent employment on July 20, six months after her appointment. It has also been alleged that at a meeting of the college’s governing board held on September 1, a decision was taken to extend her contractual appointment for another two years.

District Education Officer Md. Mojibur Rahman said, “I was not a member of the recruitment board. Those who made the appointment can comment on the matter. Besides, when I was asked at a board meeting about making her employment permanent, I said that it could not be made permanent unless she completed two years.”

Responding to the allegations, Vice-Principal Mosa. Shahanara Akter said, “I worked at the DC’s office for a long time and have experience in various jobs.”

Asked whether she had 12 years of teaching experience, she said, “I have an appointment through NTRCA.”

Patuakhali DC and chairman of the college’s governing board Mohammad Shahid Hossain Chowdhury said, “We issued the recruitment circular several times and received only two candidates. One of them was selected.”

Regarding the allegation that Shahanara Akter was appointed despite lacking the required teaching experience, the DC said, “She did not have the required experience, which is why she was appointed on a contractual basis. However, her experience in various jobs was taken into consideration. She has not been given permanent employment, nor has her contractual tenure been extended.”

Asked about allegations that Shahanara Akter received the appointment because of her previous professional association with him, the DC said, “Many people from Patuakhali worked on the project where I was previously employed. The allegation of personal proximity or favoritism is baseless.”

However, the allegations surrounding the recruitment criteria, the process of selecting candidates for interviews and the reported attempt to extend the contractual appointment have raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the recruitment process.