BMU cites legal compliance, financial accountability in scrapping ABM Abdullah's emeritus post 

Bangladesh Medical University (BMU) has defended its decision to cancel Prof Dr ABM Abdullah's lifetime professor emeritus appointment, saying the move was aimed at ensuring legal compliance, financial accountability and institutional governance, not targeting an individual.

In a notice signed by Registrar Prof Dr Md Mostafa Kamal, the university said a review found procedural, administrative and financial irregularities in the appointment.

BMU said Abdullah was first appointed professor emeritus for three years in February 2022 with a Tk30,000 monthly honorarium, medical benefits and limited administrative support.

However, in June 2024, the syndicate amended the Professor Emeritus Ordinance during a budget meeting to allow lifetime appointments with expanded benefits, including a lifetime honorarium equivalent to a retired professor's salary, medical benefits, office facilities and support staff.

The university alleged the amendment was introduced outside the meeting agenda and appeared intended to extend special benefits to one individual. It said Abdullah has received more than Tk14.5 lakh under the arrangement.

The university said no other public university in Bangladesh provides a professor emeritus with remuneration equivalent to a full-time professor's highest salary, together with such extensive financial and administrative benefits. 

It added that the amendment had created a recurring financial liability for the institution and had been approved without recommendations from the Finance Committee or any documented financial analysis.

BMU noted that the appointment bypassed the prescribed selection process, which requires departmental nomination, the dean's endorsement and evaluation by a committee formed by the vice chancellor. Instead, it said, the lifetime appointment was proposed by a single syndicate member, who cited Abdullah's role as a former personal physician to the prime minister as his qualification.

The university further claimed Abdullah had not regularly attended the university, taught classes or reported research activities over the past two years despite drawing a salary and benefits.

Following a review, the syndicate cancelled the appointment on 13 June, saying it violated university regulations. BMU has also asked Abdullah to return the salary and benefits received, arguing that payments made under an invalid appointment are recoverable under existing rules.