DU Teachers’ Association protests suspension of 3 professors, questions fairness of probes

The Dhaka University Teachers' Association strongly protested the syndicate's decision to suspend three professors and form tribunals against them, as well as its decision to form an investigation committee against another teacher.

The association said the decisions, taken at the syndicate meeting on August 31, violated provisions of the Dhaka University Order, 1973, and raised serious concerns about due process and academic freedom.

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The suspended teachers are Prof M Wahiduzzaman and Prof Muhammed Mahbubur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research (IER), and Prof Mashiur Rahman of the Department of Sociology. The syndicate also formed an investigation committee against Prof Shabnam Jahan of the Department of Management.

In a statement issued today, the association said the Dhaka University Order, 1973 requires investigation committees to give accused teachers, officers or employees an opportunity to defend themselves, present their statements and meet or confront those who made the allegations.

It alleged that these procedures were not followed in the cases of the teachers.

The association claimed that the fact-finding committee formed against the two IER professors submitted its report without reaching any conclusion or decision.

The association also alleged that the representatives of the accused teachers were not informed before the final reports were submitted to the syndicate and that their signatures were not obtained.

Calling the investigation reports “predetermined, pre-planned and one-sided”, the association said the committees had become “a new tool for persecuting teachers”.

The statement was signed by Teachers' Association President Prof Md Nizam-ul Hoque Bhuiyan and General Secretary Prof Zinat Huda.