7 including Begum Rokeya University VC accused of sedition

Accusations of sedition have been brought against seven teachers of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, including the vice chancellor, for displaying the national flag in an unseemly manner.

Two teachers of the university made these allegations on Thursday night at the Tajhat police station.

The deputy commissioner today, Friday, has formed a three-member committee to look into the matter. Additional district magistrate Golam Rabbani has been made convenor of the committee. The other two members of the committee are a representative of the metropolitan police commissioner and freedom fighter Sadrul Alam. They have been asked to submit the inquiry report within three working days.

In the written complaint it was stated that a few teachers of the university on 16 December Victory Day, changed the design of the national flag. They replaced the red circle at the centre of the green flag with a red square. They took a picture with this flag at the university’s Swadhinata Chattar (independence square) and published it. This was a violation of Article 4 (2) of the constitution, the complaint stated. These teachers had also taken pictures with the national flag on the ground and under their feet too. This was a violation of Article 7 (A) and amounted to sedition.

The event had been organised by the vice chancellor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah. The other accused are Tabiur Rahman Pradhan and Rahmatullah, teachers of the mass communication and journalism department, Hafizur Rahman, teacher of the mathematics department, Parimal Chandra Barman, teacher of the Bangla department, Masudul Huq, teacher of the marketing department and Sohag Ali, teacher of the history department.

Attempts were made to contact vice chancellor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah, but his mobile phone was switched off. Tabiur Rahman, however, said the incident was unfortunate, but was unwilling to comment further.

Earlier, on Thursday, for senior vice president of the university Chhatra League, Ariful Islam, has filed a complaint with the Tajhat police station over the same incident, accusing 9 teachers and employees of dishonouring and disfiguring the national flag. He accused them of distorting the red circle of the flag and also placing it underfoot.

The complaint was made against Shamim Hossain, teacher of the geography environment department, Mahmudul Hasan, teacher of the marketing department, Ramprasad Barman, teacher of the sociology department, Quayum Khan, teacher of the mass communication and journalism department, and the vice chancellors personal secretary Aminur Rahman, in additional to Tabiur, Rahmatullah, Parimal and Sohag.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of the Tajhat police station Aktaruzzaman said that he received both the complaints and a probe was being carried out. Action would be taken on the basis of the investigation, he said.