President of Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) Prof Md Rahmat Ullah has been relieved of all academic and administrative duties for paying tribute to Khandakar Mushtaq , one of the key patrons of the coup plotters who assassinated Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

The decision was taken on Wednesday at an emergency Syndicate meeting of the university, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman.

Prof Rahmat Ullah, the acting dean of the Faculty of Law, has also been served a show-cause notice asking him to explain the remarks he made at a discussion on the Historic Mujibnagar Day on April 17 at the university’s TSC auditorium when he paid tribute to Khandakar Mushtaq along with other members of the provisional government.

Besides, a five-member probe body, headed by DU Pro-VC (Academic) ASM Maksud Kamal was also formed to investigate the matter.

On Monday, Prof Rahmat Ullah arranged a press conference at DU Club to clarify his stance and apologized for his “mistake” terming it “unintentional”.

The same day, leaders and activists of the Chhatra League’s DU unit submitted a memorandum to the VC protesting Prof Rahmat Ullah’s remarks and demanding academic punishment against him.