The Dhaka University authorities last night suspended the chairman of the theatre and performance studies department, Prof Saiful Islam, for "sexually harassing" a sixth semester student.

The professor was given 10 days to explain why he should not be fired, Acting Proctor Prof Amzad Ali told The Daily Star after a syndicate meeting where the decisions were taken.

Prof Saiful stepped down yesterday afternoon after the sixth semester students of the department confined him to the classroom for one and a half hours, until the proctor rescued him.

On Sunday, the students submitted a letter and some mobile phone recordings to the proctor and the vice chancellor, saying Prof Saiful tried to sexually assault a female friend at his home the day before.

In the letter, the aggrieved student said the chair's office contacted her on September 8, regarding her mid-term exam answer script and told her to see the chairman about the matter. "When I called him, sir told me that he was busy and would talk to me later," she wrote.

She said the professor called her on September 10, told her about the problem in the answer script, and offered her help on the condition that she should not disclose the matter.

The student informed a female teacher about the issue before she went to see Saiful, who called her again on September 13 at 3:53pm and asked her to meet him at a house on the campus.

When she went there around 5:40pm, Saiful tried to take advantage of her in return of ignoring the problem in the answer script and giving her marks, she alleged. She fled the scene but recorded her conversation with the teacher.

In his resignation letter, Prof Saiful said he wanted to stay away from all administrative and academic works for a proper investigation, a senior theatre teacher told journalists.

"We received the allegation against him and will take decision at the syndicate meeting," said VC Prof Arefin Siddique, before entering the meeting.