Professor Mohammad Iqbal has assumed office as the eighth vice chancellor of Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (Duet), Gazipur, amid protest against him.
According to an official notification issued by the Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education, he joined the university on May 14 following approval from the president and chancellor.
The notification said he has been appointed for a four-year term and will serve as the university’s chief executive officer while remaining stationed on campus full-time.
As part of his official duties, he held meetings with deans, department heads, directors of different offices and the registrar in charge yesterday.
During the meetings, he expressed his commitment to advancing Duet through engineering and technological education, research and industry-academia collaboration with support from all stakeholders.
At least 23 Duet students in Gazipur were injured yesterday in a clash between two groups over the appointment of the VC.
Before joining Duet, Prof Iqbal served as vice chancellor of North East University Bangladesh.
Over a 34-year academic career, he held several key positions at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, including syndicate member, dean of the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, head of the Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, head of the Department of Petroleum and Mineral Engineering, provost and acting principal of Sylhet Engineering College.
In 2018, he worked as a visiting research scholar at the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center of Texas A&M University.
He completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from Sri Venkateswara University College of Engineering, India. He later earned a master’s degree in industrial and production engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and a PhD from Dublin City University.
Md Raihan Hossain, publication-cum-information officer at the Office of the Director (Research and Extension) of Duet, confirmed the matter to The Daily Star.
