A Dhaka University teacher, who was sent on forced leave, today took class at the staircases of Social Science Building.

Assistant Professor Rushad Faridi of Economics Department of the university took the class with the participance of around 50 students in the staircases around 12:00noon and continued till 1:30pm.

Later, the teacher staged a protest in front of the chairperson room of the department by holding a placard that reads “I am a teacher, let me go back to the classroom.”

Responding to a query, Faridi said he took the class as his students have proposed to press his demand by taking class in the staircases.

 “If the students want, I will continue taking class here and will also continue my protest in front of the chairperson room until get may job back,” he said.

Faridi was sent on forced leave on July 13, 2017 following a syndicate meeting as a number of teachers of the department did not agree to work with him.

But the syndicate did not issue any “show-cause” notice to him showing any reason behind such step, the teacher claimed.

Talking to The Daily Star, Rushad Faridi claimed that he was always outspoken about irregularities inside the department and became the victim of personal vengeance.

The DU teacher also sent a legal notice to five people including then VC Arefin Siddique demanding reconsideration of the decision but he did not put any heed to the matter, he added.

HC ORDER OVER RUSHAD FARIDI’S FORCED LEAVE

On July 24, 2017 the High Court questioned the legality of the syndicate’s decision to send Rushad Faridi on forced leave.

The court then issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of DU to explain in two weeks why the syndicate’s decision to send Rushad Faridi on forced leave should not be declared illegal.

At last after a battle of two years on August 25 this year, the High Court declared illegal the syndicate’s decision also ordered the DU authorities to allow Rushad Faridi to join his office at its Economics Department.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by Rushd Faridi challenging the legality of DU syndicate’s decision to send him to forced leave.

DU AUTHORITIES’ STATEMENT

Rushad Faridi said he is yet to receive the certified copy of the verdict but he submitted his lawyers’ signed copy both at the department and university.

He also alleged that department’s chairman professor Shafique uz Zaman refused to receive his letter and also misbehaved with him thus he could not join at the department.

Denying the allegation, Shafique uz Zaman said they had nothing to do with this as there was a legal dispute between university and Rushad Faridi and also it is a sub-judice matter as they yet to get the full verdict of the court.

He further said that the university authorities would decide the fate of him and they would oblige the decision.

Acknowledging the matter, University incumbent VC Professor Akhtaruzzaman earlier said he was concerned about it and they have to take decision following legal procedure.