Court Correspondent: Dhaka, Sept-07,

The High Court on Monday postponed the joining date of 138 teachers, officers and other staff at Rajshahi University for three months - as they are known to have been controversially recruited by the last vice-chancellor on an ad-hoc basis on what was his last day in office.

A bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after hearing a writ petition.

Besides, the High Court has also issued a rule questioning why it would not be illegal to take action against the former vice-chancellor, Prof M Abdus Sobhan, for corruption, said Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua who appeared for the court.

The court asked the secretary of secondary and higher education department, chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), chairman of Anti-corruption Commission (ACC), current vice chancellor and registrar of Rajshahi University and Professor M Abdus Sobhan to respond to the rule.

At the same time, the university's teacher recruitment policy in 2017 has been suspended and the ACC has been asked to investigate the VC and report to the court on November 14.

Earlier on August 31, the writ petition was filed on behalf of the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) seeking directions to cancel the appointment.

Prof Abdus Sobhan's last day as the Vice Chancellor of Rajshahi University was on May 6. He violated an Education Ministry embargo by appointing 138 teachers and staffers on his last day in office.

In this regard, a clash broke out between Chhatra League and university officials-employees in the university campus on that day over the appointments.

Later, the Education Ministry formed a four-member probe committee which termed the recruitment illegal.

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