The EJUP authorities have stated that The Daily Star correspondent Tawfique Ali "repeatedly avoided a face-to-face interview with Vice-chancellor Prof Sirajul Islam Khan" of Jagannath University while filing reports on the issue.

This statement is blatantly false. In fact, The Daily Star correspondent talked to Vice-chancellor Prof Sirajul Islam Khan on November 18, 19, 21 and 25 after many attempts and requested him to give his version at his convenience. But Prof Khan each time evaded such communications, saying: "I'm busy" and "I'm not ready to talk."

On November 25, Prof Khan said: "I will not answer any of your questions. You can, if you like, write that I refused to answer any questions from you."

"You can find all I have to say in this regard in the daily New Age," he said.

Khan's remarks were incorporated in our reports published during November 18-26.

Neither the EJUP authorities nor the project director Prof Khan contradicted or refuted any of the reports carried during the said period.

Instead, the authorities came up with their version in the form of a commercial advertisement, not as a clarification or rejoinder to any of our news items.