RAJSHAHI, April 10 (V7N) — The governing body of Shah Makhdum College has been accused of violating National University (JU) directives by accepting honorarium payments, despite a clear notification prohibiting such financial benefits.

On March 11 last year, JU authorities issued a notification signed by College Inspector Md. Abdul Hai Siddique Sarkar, stating that all posts of governing body members, including the chairman, are honorary and unpaid. The directive emphasized that any deviation could lead to dissolution of the board.

However, sources revealed that at a board meeting on August 11, 2025, accounting lecturer Ranjit Kumar Das proposed increasing the honorarium — raising the chairman’s allowance from Tk 3,000 to Tk 5,000 and members’ from Tk 2,500 to Tk 3,000. The proposal was unanimously accepted.

Teachers allege that the college is now forced to pay Tk 41,000 per meeting to 13 board members, draining funds and creating a financial crisis for urgent institutional activities.

Principal SM Rezaul Islam, also member secretary of the board, acknowledged the issue, saying: “The honorarium money is given from the college’s various funds. As the head of the institution, I want to reduce expenses. However, if everyone wants the honorarium, I cannot stop it alone. I will raise the issue in the next meeting.”

Board chairman Dr. Md. Khalid Alam, professor at Rajshahi University, claimed he was unaware of the JU notification: “The principal did not inform me about the matter. If there is a notification, then we should stop taking honorarium or increase it. We accepted honorarium because we were not aware.”

The controversy has sparked criticism among teachers and locals, who condemned the practice as unethical and tantamount to embezzlement of college funds.

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