Dhaka University professor Naadir Junaid has been accused of manipulating grades, violating university regulations, and intimidating students, sparking controversy over academic integrity and professional conduct.
Students from the 12th batch of the Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) department of the university claim that Professor Naadir Junaid awarded them unfairly low grades in the final results of their postgraduate. They allege that he acted out of personal vendetta, as the students had shown little interest in his optional courses in the second semester.
The students also accuse Professor Naadir Junaid of making unauthorized comments on the results of another batch before they were officially published, and of threatening to influence the results of other batches. They say that he monitored their social media activity and used it as a basis for grading and intimidation.
According to the students of the MCJ 12th batch, Professor Dr. Naadir Junaid was the coordinator and examiner of the second semester course of their post graduate program. He was also the chairman of the examination committee of the Masters.
The students claim that he manipulated their grades out of personal vendetta. Tvista obtained a copy of the result sheet which shows that 35 out of 54 students in that course got CGPA below 3 out of 4. Among them, 14 got 2.50, 12 got 2.25 and five got 2.0. One of the top ten students in the graduation level got only 2.75, while others got below 2.25. Such grades are ‘unprecedented’, say the teachers and students of the department.
"The situation is dire. Professor Junaid's actions have cast a shadow over our academic life," said one of the victim students who preferred to remain anonymous.
Masters’ Viva Question: Tell the Five Breeds of Dogs!
The students of the 12th batch alleged that Professor Naadir Junaid of intimidating and harassing them during their viva examinations. They claim that he asked them irrelevant and inappropriate questions, such as "How many children does Indira Gandhi have?" and "Name some dog breeds". They say that these questions affected their performance and caused them distress.
Shafat Rahman, a student of MCJ 12th batch, posted on his Facebook handle, "He (Professor Naadir Junaid) asked me in Viva, 'How many children Indira Gandhi has?'
Another student said that he was asked to tell some dog breeds. By asking such irrelevant questions, he spoiled the student's 'impression' in front of other examiners. This is reflected in the number of the Comprehensive course.
Another student of the department said on condition of anonymity, "I responded to one of his questions by saying 'yes' in Viva. He scolded me for at least 10 minutes about why I didn't address him 'sir'. As a result, I became nervous at the beginning of Viva. At the end of all the interviewees, he started asking me so many questions that even another teacher asked requested him to finish the viva. Naturally, at that time, he created such a situation that I was also could not answer the question that I knew.”
Monitoring Students' Personal social media Activity
Students have raised serious allegations against Professor Naadir Junaid, accusing him of closely monitoring their social media activities. According to their claims, Professor Junaid uses this surveillance to determine how he treats individual students. Shockingly, he has even threatened to adjust students’ test scores based on their Facebook posts.
A female student from the 12th batch shared her experience, saying, “During a Viva Board session, he questioned me about my Facebook activities. I often post light-hearted content, but he made me feel embarrassed about it. I ended up in tears at the viva.”
Meanwhile, it is against the rules of the university to comment on the results before the results are published. However, before the results of the 12th batch were published, Naadir Junaid allegedly commented on a class of the 13th batch.
Following the incidents, current and former students of the department have expressed their grievances on social media, demanding justice and accountability from the university administration. They say that Professor Naadir Junaid's actions have violated the academic integrity and professional conduct of the university.
Professor Nadir Junaid however has denied any wrongdoing and told media that he does not have the authority to manipulate grades and that the allegations are baseless.
