The selection committee of Statistics Department in a meeting on July 4 recommended recruitment of the six candidates and the recruitment will be confirmed by the Syndicate in a meeting on August 10, sources said.

Four of the newcomers are loyalists of Jamaat-e-Islami and two are relatives of RU teachers, added the sources.

The teaching staff of Statistics Department said the selection committee was biased and it ignored candidates with outstanding achievements and they would submit a memorandum to RU Vice Chancellor Prof Altaf Hossain protesting the recruitment.

According to the sources, 14 out of the 32 lecturer candidates have four first classes and two had their research articles published in international journals.

Even though the advertisement mentioned that applicants with thesis in international journals would be given preference, RU authorities overlooked more competent candidates and preferred the three inferior Jamaat candidates instead -- who only have three first classes and have no thesis or publications in international journals.

Statistics Department Chairman Nurul Islam confirmed the selections, but made no further comments.

VC Prof Altaf Hossian said he would not make any comment without seeing documents. He however denied any irregularities in the selection process.