Syed Muhammed Abul Faiz

In December 1970, Faiz went to the UK for doing research leading to Ph.D. and obtained the degree in Soil: Plant Water Relations from the Department of Botany, University of Aberdeen, under the supervision of Regius Professor P.E. Weatherley, Fellow of the Royal Society.{{cite web|url=http://www.du.ac.bd/download/others/Annual_Report_Final-2013-14.pdf|title=University of Dhaka|publisher=}}

Faiz joined the Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka as an assistant professor on 2 July 1973 and became an associate professor in 1977.

Faiz worked as reader (British equivalent to associate professor) in the University of Maidugari, Nigeria for about 4 years before becoming a professor in the Department of Soil Science, Dhaka University in 1986. He served as the chairman of the Department of Soil Science (now Department of Soil, Water and Environment) during 1988 to 1991, and also worked as the elected Dean of the Faculty of Biological Sciences, Dhaka University during 1991 to 1993.

In 1993, Faiz was appointed chairman of the Bangladesh Public Service Commission by the president of the country.{{cite web |url=http://www.bpsc.gov.bd/site/page/d2669bcf-ef10-438c-a07a-321a2c5da900/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%87%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A6 |title=Previous Chairmen |website=Bangladesh Public Service Commission}} The constitutional position he held in this quasi-judicial body during 1993 to 1998 gave him the responsibility of selecting suitable candidates for different Civil Service Cadres of the Government.

Faiz came back to the university in 1998 and in 2002 became the 26th vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka.{{cite web|url=http://www.du.ac.bd/home/office_and_admin/ovc|title=University of Dhaka – the highest echelon of academic excellence|website=www.du.ac.bd}} The 2002 Police raid Shamsunnahar Hall took place under his watch.{{Cite web |date=24 July 2003 |title=DU students march in silence to mark one year of attack on hall students |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2003/07/24/d30724011414.htm |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star}} The treasurer of the University of Dhaka Syed Rashidul Hasan dissented against Faiz appointing three leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, student wing of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, as section officers of the university.{{Cite web |last=Tusher |first=Hasan Jahid |date=31 October 2004 |title=DU selects 3 JCD leaders as section officers despite note of dissent |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2004/10/31/d41031060164.htm |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star}} Professors at the University demanded Faiz remove Hasanuzzaman Chowdhury, member of the Public Service Commission, from staff quarters accusing of behaving poorly with his neighbors in 2005.{{Cite web |date=30 March 2005 |title=PSC member, thrashed by drivers, now faces eviction from DU flat |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/03/30/d50330060370.htm |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star}} Chowhdury had been assaulted by drivers of the Public Service Commission whom he had accused of leaking question papers in a report to the chairman of the commission Z N Tahmida Begum who was also unhappy as it portrayed her unfavorably.{{Cite web |title=PSC member, thrashed by drivers, now faces eviction from DU flat |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/03/30/d50330060370.htm |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star}} In February 2008, the campus saw clashes between students supporting and against quota in the Bangladesh Civil Service.{{Cite web |date=2008-02-07 |title=Situation tense at DU |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-22366 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} In 2006, Professor Aftab Ahmed was murdered in the official teachers residence of the university.{{Cite web |date=2007-09-26 |title=DU authorities to urge govt to find out Prof Aftab's killers |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-5522 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Faiz met with four teachers of the University detained in 2008 under the Emergency Power Rules, 2007.{{Cite web |date=2008-01-14 |title=Faiz meets DU teachers in jail |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-19187 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} He met with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed, Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed, various advisors and chiefs of intelligence agencies. Teachers of Arabic Department protested appointing three teachers to the department who studied university and madrassah simultaneously which they alleged was illegal.{{Cite web |date=2008-01-29 |title=Three 'immoral' teachers finally getting job |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-21120 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} Faiz said according to the attorney general there was no legal issue. He received an Independence Award on behalf of Dr Gobinda Chandra Dev.{{Cite web |date=2008-03-26 |title=CA hands over Independence Award |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-29346 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}

On 27 May 2008, Faiz's term as vice chancellor which expected to end on 30 May was extended.{{Cite web |date=2008-05-27 |title=Faiz to remain DU VC until appointment of new one |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-38412 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} M. Anwar Hossain, general secretary of the Dhaka University Teachers' Association, expressed displeasure at the decision which is blamed on the government fearing a conflict between Blue Panel, pro-Awami League teachers, and White Panel, Bangladesh Nationalist Party backed teachers, over the appointed of a new vice chancellor. In August, his office was vandalized by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists protesting the arrest of their general secretary.{{Cite web |title=BCL men go on rampage at DU VC's office |url=https://archive.thedailystar.net/newDesign/cache/cached-news-details-49174.html |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=archive.thedailystar.net}} He was released along with the president of the university unit of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal following protests.{{Cite web |date=2008-08-08 |title=JCD president, BCL secy freed |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-49431 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} In October 2008, his office was vandalized by madrassah students who were demanding rules for admission be relaxed for them.{{Cite web |date=2008-10-19 |title=Madrasa students vandalise DU VC office |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-59372 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} The Bangladesh Nationalist Party supported white panel backed the madrassah students.{{Cite web |date=2008-10-23 |title=DU white panel teachers back madrasa students |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-59974 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} He decided to appoint psychologists to dorms of the university following 11 suicides of students in five years.{{Cite web |last=Parveen |first=Shahnaz |date=2008-06-09 |title=DU wakes up to worrying trend of suicides among students |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-40288 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} He formed a committee to investigate three teachers of the department of political science accused of leaking question papers.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-02 |title=Body to probe allegations against three teachers |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-69697 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} He resigned on 12 January 2009.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-12 |title=Prof Faiz to quit as DU VC |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-70967 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}} He was replaced by AAMS Arefin Siddique.{{Cite web |last=Deabnath |first=Suranjith |date=2009-01-21 |title=Hectic lobbying for university posts |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-72243 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}

Faiz was an elected member of Dhaka University Senate and Syndicate. He was the provost of Hazi Md. Mohsin Hall for few years. He writes about the higher education sector regularly now.{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/24th-anniversary-the-daily-star-part-2/higher-education-and-riveting-rumination-70944|title=Higher education and a riveting rumination|date=11 March 2015|publisher=}}

Faiz retired from his services at the University of Dhaka in 2014. At present, he is associated with a private university named State University of Bangladesh.{{cite web|url=http://www.sub.edu.bd/?page_id=5122|title=University Academic Council – Welcome to State University of Bangladesh – State University of Bangladesh|website=www.sub.edu.bd}} He joined Haileybury Bhaluka, a private school with USD 34,500 annual fee, as an advisor.{{Cite web |last=Rabbi |first=Md Zahidur |date=2024-02-22 |title=Haileybury Bhaluka on a mission to shape future leaders |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/campus/campus-life/news/haileybury-bhaluka-mission-shape-future-leaders-3550116 |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}

On 5 September 2024, Faiz was appointed chairman of the University Grants Commission.{{Cite web |last=Report |first=Star Digital |date=2024-09-05 |title=SMA Faiz appointed new UGC Chairman |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/sma-faiz-appointed-new-ugc-chairman-3695071 |access-date=2024-10-08 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}{{cite news |date=5 September 2024 |title=SMA Faiz appointed as UGC chairman |url=https://en.prothomalo.com/youth/education/g6y4uhs4ej |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240914133716/https://en.prothomalo.com/youth/education/g6y4uhs4ej |archive-date=14 September 2024 |work=Prothom Alo |language=en}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Academic staff of the University of Dhaka

Category:University of Dhaka alumni

Category:Alumni of the University of Aberdeen

Category:Vice-chancellors of the University of Dhaka

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

Category:Bangladeshi people of Indian descent

Category:Chairmans of University Grants Commission of Bangladesh