Several agitating teachers ‘assaulted’
A group of Chhatra League activists yesterday foiled a sit-in of agitating Jahangirnagar University teachers, who have been demanding the resignation of Vice-chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain.
It all started as a group of teachers, who staged a sit-in in front of the university’s administrative building, barred the VC from entering his office around 3:00pm. The VC was scheduled to hold a syndicate meeting there.
The agitating teachers alleged that Prof Anwar physically assaulted two of their colleagues on his way to the office.
But the VC dismissed the allegation, and said he just tried to enter his office to hold the syndicate meeting.
Following the incident, BCL activists gathered before the administrative building and forced the teachers to leave the place. They also vandalised the chairs the teachers were sitting on, witnesses said.
The agitating teachers claimed three of their colleagues were attacked by the BCL men, and accused the VC of using the BCL men for his own interest.
Two assistant proctors — Lecturer Enamul Haque and Assistant Prof Sikder Md Zulkernine — announced that they would quit their posts over the attack on the teachers.
The VC admitted the presence of the JU unit BCL President Mahmudur Rahman Jony during the incident, but ruled out that the BCL men attacked the teachers.
Jony, too, dismissed that his men were involved in attacking the teachers.
Following the attack, the agitating teachers in a press conference demanded the immediate resignation of Prof Anwar and Proctor Prof Mujibur Rahman.
Sources said, a section of BCL men after the incident gathered in the Pro-VC’s official residence and held a meeting with the VC.
Additional police personnel were deployed on the campus following the incident.
Meanwhile, after an emergency general meeting in the evening, Jahangirnagar University Teachers Association (Juta) in a press conference declared a three-point demand.
Juta General Secretary Prof Sharifuddin demanded that the president, who is also chancellor of the university, dismiss the VC before October 20 and take immediate action against his alleged involvement in assaulting the two teachers.
He warned of an all-out strike on the campus since October 22 if their demand is not met.
The Juta also demanded an exemplary punishment to the BCL activists for attacking the teachers.
In another development, Sadharan Shikkhak Forum, another platform of teachers, postponed their anti-VC agitation till October 22, after a meeting with the education secretary yesterday, said Prof Kamrun Ahsan, member secretary of the forum.
Source: The Daily Star
