PSTU Registrar Alleges he was Forced to Sign letter to President under Pressure

Serious allegations have emerged at Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) after the university’s registrar claimed he was forced to sign a letter addressed to the President under pressure from several individuals.

In a written explanation submitted on March 11, Registrar said he was asked to sign a letter meant for the President’s Office but initially refused due to concerns over its content and the lack of proper procedural approval.

According to the registrar, a group led by teacher ABM Saiful Islam later entered his office and began pressuring him to sign the document.

The registrar said the situation escalated when several individuals—including Mohammad Riaz Kanchan Shahid, Shahadat Hossain Nantu, Rahat Mahmud and Arifur Rahman Noman—came to his office with Saiful Islam and demanded that he sign the letter immediately.

“I informed them that the matter could only proceed after approval from the Vice-Chancellor. However, Dr ABM Saiful Islam insisted that I sign the document immediately and even threatened to lock me inside the room if I refused,” the registrar wrote.

He alleged that some individuals raised their voices and tried to intimidate him. According to his statement, Riaz Kanchan struck the glass on his desk while issuing threats, while others suggested he should resign if he refused to sign.

The registrar said the situation created an atmosphere of fear and prevented him from carrying out his duties normally.

“When the situation became tense and I feared for my personal safety and dignity, I tried to contact the Vice-Chancellor by phone but could not reach him,” he wrote.

He added that, fearing an undesirable incident, he eventually signed the application addressed to the President without the Vice-Chancellor’s approval.

The registrar also said several teachers and officials later arrived at the scene and tried to calm the situation, but they failed to persuade those involved.

An official familiar with the matter said forcing a registrar to sign a document under pressure violates administrative procedures and undermines the university’s institutional framework.

The official also alleged that Saiful Islam had rarely taken classes in the past 18 months and had created tension on campus by claiming links with leaders of University Teachers Association of Bangladesh (UTAB).

However, when contacted, Saiful Islam denied the allegations. He claimed the issue arose because the letter had not been forwarded to the President even three months after a decision by the university’s Regent Board.

“After three months, the Vice-Chancellor still had not sent my letter to the President. On the 19th, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor was acting as the Vice-Chancellor, and approval was obtained from him that day,” he said.

Responding to questions about the registrar’s claim that no such approval had been granted, Saiful Islam said the registrar’s statement was his personal view.

“I told him that whether he obtains approval from somewhere or not is not my concern. I want my letter,” he added.

He also dismissed allegations that threats were made to force the registrar to resign or lock him inside the office.

“We work together and people sometimes speak strongly. These are not major issues. We did not force him; we simply demanded action regarding the letter,” he said.

Earlier media reports had raised concerns about administrative tensions within the university. The registrar’s written explanation has now brought further attention to the incident.