DU teachers protest ‘attack’ on authorities

Teachers of Dhaka University today formed a human chain on the campus in protest of the students’ “misbehaviour” and “attack on university authorities”.

The teachers from various departments formed the human-chain in front of Aparajeyo Bangla around 11:00am.

“The Father of the Nation and many other eminent personalities of the country were students of Dhaka University and we expect respect from our students. This cannot be acceptable behaviour and we want our wards to come back to the right way,” Kazi Samad, a teacher of the social welfare department, said.

The teachers expressed their concern following January 23 incident when students took position in front of the vice-chancellor's office to press home a four-point demand, including expulsion of some BCL leaders for “harassing” female students a few days ago.          

But at least 50 students and two campus-based journalists were injured when Bangladesh Chhatra League men attacked the gathering to “rescue” DU VC Prof Akhtaruzzaman, who was confined for around an hour in front of his office at the Registrar Building, demonstrators said.

Denying that they swooped on agitating students, BCL men said leaders of different left-leaning organisations attacked them and harassed some of their female students.

In a press release, the DU authorities also blamed the agitators for the episode, saying some “violent students and outsiders” besieged the VC's office.  

On January 11, students from different departments launched a protest, demanding that the DU cancel affiliation of seven colleges with it.

Four days later, as part of their agitation, around 100 students staged a sit-in before the VC's office. But BCL men foiled their demo, allegedly after the VC called in the BCL men.

They harassed the female students and assaulted Moshiur Rahman Sadik, coordinator of the protest. Later, the BCL men handed Sadik over to the university authorities who subsequently handed him over to the police.

On January 17, students under the banner of "Students against repression" started a fresh protest, demanding punishment of the BCL men for the assault.