Professor Dr. Saiful Islam is a Bangladeshi academic who is the current

vice-chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor is ...

Dhaka International University Dhaka International University ( bn, ঢাকা ইন্টারন্যাশনাল ইউনিভার্সিটি) is a private university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The university was established on 7 April 1995 by the Private Universit ...

. Previously he served as the 13th

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, commonly known by the acronym BUET, is a public technological research university in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in 1876 as the Dacca Survey School, it is the oldest institution for the study ...

(BUET). Before, he worked as the Pro-Vice Chancellor of

Primeasia University Primeasia University ( bn, প্রাইমএশিয়া বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, also known as PaU) is a private research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It was established in 2003. History Primeasia Univer ...

Education

Islam earned his bachelor's and master's in electrical engineering from BUET in 1975 and 1977 respectively. He obtained his Ph.D. degree from

Cambridge University , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

in 1986.

Career

Saiful started his teaching career as a lecturer of the Department of Electrical Engineering of BUET in May 1975. He became a professor in 1988. He served as the dean of the Faculty of Electrical and Electronic Engineering during 1995–1997. On 22 June 2016, Islam was selected as the 13th vice-chancellor of BUET. The post was vacant since

Khaleda Ekram Khaleda Ekram (6 August 1950 – 24 May 2016) was a Bangladeshi architect, professor, researcher, and academician. She served as the 12th Vice-chancellor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET). She was the former dean of the ...

had died on 24 May 2016. From August 2013 until June 2016, Islam worked as the pro-vice-chancellor of

, a private university in

Dhaka Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...

, after he was appointed by the

President of Bangladesh The president of Bangladesh ( bn, বাংলাদেশের রাষ্ট্রপতি — ) officially the President of the People's Republic of Bangladesh ( bn, গণপ্রজাতন্ত্রী বাংলাদেশে ...

Awards

* Gold Medal by Bangladesh Academy of Sciences (1988)

Controversy

Following the

murder of Abrar Fahad Abrar Fahad (born 12 February 1998), a second year student of electrical and electronic engineering (EEE) department of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), was tortured and then killed by BUET's Chhatra League leaders ...

, a second year EEE student and resident at the Sher-e-Bangla Hall of BUET, on 7 October 2019, massive protest spread all over the university campus. But Islam didn't show up after the murder incident, resulting in tremendous criticism throughout the country.

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

also criticized him for his absence. Later on 9 October 2019 he went to visit victim Abrar's home at

Kushtia Kushtia ( bn, কুষ্টিয়া) is a city in the Khulna Division of southwestern Bangladesh. Kushtia is the second largest municipality in Bangladesh and the eleventh largest city in the country. The second largest city in Khulna div ...

, where he met immense public protest and couldn't enter his home. The Teachers' Association of BUET and Alumni Association of BUET demanded his resignation as vice-chancellor due to his failure.

References

Living people Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology alumni Alumni of the University of Cambridge Academic staff of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Vice-Chancellors of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Year of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) {{Bangladesh-academic-bio-stub