BMU defends canceling Abdullah's lifetime emeritus appointment
Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) authorities today clarified that the decision to cancel the appointment of Prof A.B.M. Abdullah to the post of Emeritus Professor was not taken targeting any individual, rather taken to ensure the university’s legal compliance, administrative transparency, financial accountability, and institutional good governance.
A review of the official records revealed multiple procedural, administrative, and financial anomalies, which compelled the university authorities to take such a decision, said a BMU press release issued by the Office of the Registrar today.
The release said, according to an office order issued on February 12, 2022, following the recommendation of the 66th Academic Council and the decision of the 85th Syndicate meeting, Prof. Dr. A.B.M. Abdullah was initially appointed for a three-year term. Under that appointment, he was provided a monthly honorarium of Taka 30,000, medical facilities, and limited administrative benefits. As that appointment complied with the regulations, the university administration and the Syndicate raised no objections.
However, nearly six months before the expiry of that term, during the 92nd Syndicate meeting held on June 20, 2024, which was a budget session for the 2024-25 fiscal year, fundamental changes were made to the financial and administrative structure of the post by amending the Emeritus Professor Ordinance to introduce a lifetime appointment provision.
Under the amended provision, Prof. Abdullah’s monthly honorarium was set equivalent to the final basic salary and allowances he drew at the time of his retirement as a regular professor.
Additionally, he was granted lifetime medical facilities, office space with staff, and other perks.
The press release noted that raising such a proposal outside the main agenda during a Syndicate budget session is unprecedented and illegal. It appears that the appointment was rushed through to grant special privileges to a specific individual. So far, he has drawn over Taka 14.5 lakh under this arrangement.
The release said, according to Section 5 of the Emeritus Professor Appointment Ordinance, the appointment process requires a proposal from the departmental chairman, submission to the Vice-Chancellor through the Dean, formation of an evaluation committee by the VC, and appointment based on that committee's recommendations. However, in the case of Prof. Dr. A.B.M. Abdullah, these selection procedures were bypassed, and he was appointed for life based solely on the proposal of a single member. His credentials highlighted his role as the ‘personal physician to the former Prime Minister’.
Furthermore, the release stated that over the past two years, he did not regularly attend the workplace, conduct classes, or engage in research, nor did he inform the administration. Despite this, he regularly withdrew salaries and allowances on a quarterly basis.
The BMU authorities observed that while there are precedents of appointing Emeritus Professor in various public universities in Bangladesh, there is no instance of granting lifetime remuneration equal to the highest salary of a full-time professor along with such extensive financial and administrative benefits. Upon reviewing the matter, the current administration found that this arrangement created a long-term and recurring financial liability for the university.
The 2022 arrangement treated the post as honorarium-based, but the 2024 amendment transformed it into a salary-like benefit, altering the fundamental nature of the honorary post. Moreover, university statutes mandate that the Finance Committee must oversee income and expenditures and advise the Syndicate. However, university records show no evidence that this major financial change was ever presented to the Finance Committee for analysis or recommendation, raising questions about financial governance.
The university authorities believes that introducing an out-of-agenda proposal illegally and applying the benefits of an amended ordinance instantly in the very same meeting is administratively and legally controversial, increasing the risk of financial irregularities.
Analyzing all data and documents, the current Syndicate in its meeting on June 13, 2026, was compelled to cancel the lifetime Emeritus Professor appointment of Prof. Dr. A.B.M. Abdullah, dating back to June 24, 2024, as it was deemed ultra vires (beyond legal authority).
According to regulations, if an appointment is later deemed void or invalid due to procedural or legal flaws, the university authorities are obligated to recover the financial benefits disbursed under that appointment. Accordingly, the university has requested the return of the salary drawn during that period. This is a standard legal requirement and is not intended to harass anyone, the release added.
The university reiterated that the sole purpose of canceling the appointment was to uphold lawful processes, administrative transparency, financial accountability, and institutional good governance, believing that the proper adherence to laws and regulations applies equally to all to safeguard the dignity of higher education institutions.
