‘Stunned by DU VC’s biased role’

The Daily Star  December 25, 2019

‘Stunned by DU VC’s biased role’

Parents, civil society members say in memo; 3 arrestees on remand

DU Correspondent

A number of civil society members and parents of several Dhaka University students yesterday submitted a memorandum to the DU Vice Chancellor Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman criticising him for his alleged support to the controversial activities of Chhatra League.

“We are stunned by the biased role of the VC,” the memorandum reads.

They also accused the VC of supporting the attackers of Ducsu Vice President Nurul Haque Nur on Sunday and alleged that the university administration did not take any measures to quell the situation.

In response, the VC assured them that legal action would be taken against the perpetrators.

A group of eminent citizens in a joint statement yesterday also expressed deep shock at the brutal attack on Nur and others. They demanded exemplary punishment of the culprits.

Meanwhile, DU students yesterday put forward a three-point demand.

The demands include resignation of DU proctor for his failure to protect the students, recovery of the CCTV footage of the attack, and immediate trial of the attackers.

The demands were declared at a programme organised under the banner of Santrash Birodhi Chhatra Oikya at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture.

A number of teachers, journalists and politicians expressed solidarity with the demands.

Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, associate professor at DU’s international relations department, said, “The university authorities and the proctorial team did not take proper steps to stop the attack even though they were informed.

“It is clear that the attack was a play jointly staged by the authorities and the Chhatra League.”

Former Ducsu VP ASM Abdur Rob, Mujahidul Islam Selim, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Aman Ullah Aman, renowned Photo Journalist Shahidul Alam, Convener of Gono Samhati Andolon Zonayed Saki and Jahangirnagar University teacher Prof Said Ferdous also spoke at the programme.

3 MONCHO LEADERS ON REMAND

A Dhaka court yesterday placed three leaders of Muktijuddho Moncho on a three-day remand in connection with a case filed over attacking Nur on Sunday.

Al Mamun, general secretary of the platform’s central unit, Yeasir Arafat Turjo, general secretary of its Dhaka University unit and Mehedi Hasan Shanto, office secretary of the platform’s DU unit, were accused in a case filed with Shahbagh Police Station early yesterday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Md Moinul Islam passed the order after law enforcers produced Mamun, Turjo and Mehedi Hasan Shanto, office secretary of the Muktijuddho Moncho faction.

The three was put on remand a day after they were arrested at the capital’s Shahbagh.

In another development, Nur yesterday filed a complaint with the Shahbagh Police Station accusing Chhatra League DU unit President Sanjit Chandra Das and General Secretary Saddam Hussain, 27, other BCL leaders and eight Moncho leaders for an “attempt to murder him”.

Ducsu Social Service Affairs Secretary Akhtar Hossen filed the complaint on behalf of Nur, said Abul Hasan, officer-in-charge of Shahbagh Police Station.

“We have received the complaint and will add information of this complaint to the previous case,” he added.