Harassment of teachers stalks public univs

Several public universities have lately been shaken by incidents in which teachers were harassed, confined to their offices, or even assaulted by student leaders over alleged links to the previous regime, with the authorities failing to prevent the recurrence of such untoward events.

Educationists have termed the incidents “unexpected and unacceptable”, while student leaders involved in the incidents have defended their actions as efforts to hold “corrupt teachers” accountable for their “past misconduct”.

The latest incident unfolded at Chittagong University (CU) on January 10, when several CU Central Students’ Union (Cucsu) leaders, elected from the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed Sampritir Shikkharthi Jote panel, forcibly took an assistant professor to the proctor’s office over alleged ties with the Awami League regime.

While the teacher, Hasan Mohammad Roman from the law faculty, was supervising an admission test, a group of Cucsu leaders grabbed him. In a video clip, they were seen dragging him onto a rickshaw to take him to the proctor’s office.

​“I am walking a very thin line. As per the law, I cannot do much, as these are autonomous institutions governed by the University Grants Commission [UGC]… But no one has the licence to assault, harass or intimidate any individual.”

Prof CR Abrar  Education Adviser

The students accused Roman, a former assistant proctor, of filing cases against protesters during the July mass uprising and maintaining ties with the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, said campus sources.

Roman, however, refuted the allegations.

The student leaders, seen in the clip, include Cucsu Office Secretary Abdullah Al Noman; Library and Cafeteria Secretary Masum Billah; Career Development Secretary Mehedi Hasan Sohan; Law and Human Rights Secretary Fazle Rabbi Towhid; Executive Member Sohanur Rahman; Co-communication and Housing Secretary Obaidul Salman; and Assistant Student Welfare Secretary Jannatul Ferdaus Rita. 

When contacted, Cucsu General Secretary Sayeed Bin Habib, also international and human rights secretary of Shibir’s CU unit, said, “No teacher was harassed. Those accused of involvement in killings are being described simply as teachers in attempts to shield them.”

He alleged that Roman abused his position as assistant proctor in the past and expelled students, labelling them as “militants”. 

Referring to section 59 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Sayeed said it allows “a private person to arrest” someone committing a cognisable offence. “We did not take the law into our own hands. We handed him over to the authorities.”

When asked, Sara Hossain, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court, said that any person may make an arrest under the CrPC provision if they believe that someone has committed a non-bailable and cognisable offence -- one for which it is possible to arrest someone even without a warrant. But, in doing so, they cannot assault or abuse the person in any way.

“The images of a teacher being chased and assaulted by students on the Chittagong University campus are deeply disturbing. Reports suggest that the students alleged his ‘direct involvement in the July massacre,’ while a proctor described him as a ‘soldier of the fascist regime’.”

These are serious allegations and can only be verified through independent and impartial investigations, said Sara, also honorary executive director of Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST).

Asked about the January 10 incident, CU Pro-Vice Chancellor (academic) Prof Kamal Uddin said, “If no one files a complaint with us, we cannot take action on our own.”

He, however, said that taking the law into one’s own hands was unjustified.

Earlier on July 4, a group of CU students entered the office of Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Yahya Akhtar and intimidated him, saying, “You did not sit here on your own merit; we installed you here. You are bound to listen to us.”

That day, Assistant Professor Kushal Baran Chakraborty was confined to the VC office for three hours, and his promotion process was allegedly postponed under pressure from student groups.

Similarly, another assistant professor, Rantu Das, was confined to the office of the history department chairman for nearly two hours on October 23, 2024, and forced to resign over his alleged links to the BCL.

CU Shibir General Secretary Mohammad Parvez; Shibir Publicity Secretary Md Ishaq Bhuiyan, and ex-office activities secretary Habibullah Khaled were present during all three incidents, as shown in video clips.

A nearly identical situation prevails at Rajshahi University.

At a rally on December 19 last year, Rucsu General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar announced that any teacher favouring the “fascist Awami League” would be “dragged by the collar and tied up”.

A couple of days later, Ammar demanded the resignation of six deans over their alleged links to the AL regime. He phoned them one by one, asking them to sign pre-drafted resignation letters.

That day, a group of students locked the Deans’ Complex and the main administrative building, and staged a demonstration attended by several Shibir leaders, video clips show. 

The six deans resigned later that night.

Terming the forced resignations unwarranted, RU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Farid Uddin Khan said, “The university administration cannot evade responsibility when students engage in such activities.

“Political tagging without evidence of anti-uprising activities is not justified,” he added.

Incidents of teacher harassment also took place at Dhaka University.

On December 11 last year, a group of students, led by Ducsu Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair, harassed three teachers who belong to the pro-AL “Neel Dal”. 

The incident occurred at the Faculty of Social Sciences after the three -- Prof AKM Jamal Uddin; Prof Azmal Hossain Bhuiyan; and Prof Zeenat Huda -- submitted a memorandum to the VC, demanding that the teachers barred from taking classes be allowed to resume duties.

Video footage showed students chasing Prof Jamal and blocking his car from leaving. 

About the incident, Zubair said he and several Ducsu members went to the faculty to hand over “accomplices of fascism” to police.

Earlier in August 2024, student groups forced Arts Faculty Dean Prof Abdul Bashir and Biological Sciences Dean Prof AKM Mahbub Hasan to resign.

When contacted, Education Adviser Prof CR Abrar termed the assaults on teachers “criminal offences”, and said that no grievance justifies such intimidation.

​Asked why the ministry did not make any move, he cited legal constraints regarding autonomous institutions.

​“I am walking a very thin line. As per the law, I cannot do much, as these are autonomous institutions governed by the University Grants Commission [UGC]… But no one has the licence to assault, harass or intimidate any individual,” he told The Daily Star.

​​​He attributed the present crisis to “blatant partisan politics” involving both teachers and students. “This is a dangerous trend. The previous regime practiced it, but that does not justify us doing it in this new era.”

Meanwhile, various teachers’ platforms condemned the incidents of assault and harassment of teachers, describing them as forms of “mob justice”.

The White Panel, a platform of pro-BNP teachers at DU, said allegations must be resolved through legal procedures, not assault.

The Nationalist Teachers’ Forum of Jahangirnagar University expressed concerns, while the University Teachers’ Network condemned the “extra-jurisdictional criminal activities” of elected student representatives, highlighting their links to Shibir. The network urged Jamaat-e-Islami to rein in its student wing.

Prof Anu Muhammad, a member of the teachers’ network, said these student leaders wore a “mask of inclusivity” before elections but revealed a “violent and anti-education face” after their victory.

“We are seeing these representatives incite vandalism.” 

Criticising the authorities, he said, “It is under the patronage of an incompetent administration that students have the audacity to do whatever they please.”

Drawing a parallel with the past, he said the “tagging culture” seen during the BCL era has now taken a more violent form.

The economist said that if there are specific allegations of crime, corruption, or murder against certain teachers, they should be tried under the law of the land.

When contacted, UGC Chairman Prof SMA Faiz described the recent incidents as “completely unexpected and unacceptable”.

Referring to the incidents at the CU, Faiz said, “I have spoken with the vice chancellor of the university. He assured that his administration is taking necessary steps.”

He said the UGC cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a university to the extent of issuing show‑cause notices to individuals.

Faiz also pointed out a breakdown in the student‑teacher bond.

“A healthy relationship cannot be ensured by rules alone. The relationship falters when teachers don’t view students as their own children, and vice versa,” he added.