Dhaka University’s Syndicate has decided to suspend three teachers and to temporarily bar another from academic and administrative duties over allegations of “controversial activities” during the July uprising and of “threatening” students.
At the same time, another teacher who drew attention after posting videos of singing on social media has been relieved of academic duties following complaints from teachers and students.
The decisions were taken at a Syndicate meeting held on Monday night with Vice-Chancellor ABM Obaidul Islam in the chair. Multiple Syndicate members present at the meeting confirmed the matter to Prothom Alo.
The three teachers temporarily suspended over incidents during the July uprising are Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah of the Department of Public Administration, Professor AKM Jamal Uddin of the Department of Sociology, and Professor Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam of the Department of Banking and Insurance.
In addition, Professor Mohammad Azmal Hossain Bhuiyan of the Department of Botany has been temporarily relieved of academic and administrative responsibilities.
Committee formed for further investigation
Dhaka University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Mohammed Almujaddade Alfasane told Prothom Alo that the decisions had been taken on the basis of the opinion of the legal adviser.
A committee has also been formed to conduct a further investigation into the allegations against the four teachers, he added.
In addition, the university administration has temporarily suspended university official Lavlu Molla Shishir (Muhammad Lavlu Molla) on the same allegations.
At the Syndicate meeting, Professor Chowdhury Md Tashrik-e-Habib of the Bangla Department was also relieved of academic duties in line with a recommendation from the department’s Academic Council. He had gone viral for posting videos of singing on social media, prompting widespread criticism within the university.
The Syndicate has also sent to the legal adviser its decision regarding the cancellation of former Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) general secretary Golam Rabbani’s DUCSU post on the grounds that he did not hold valid student status at the time of the 2019 election.
In November last year, the Academic Council recommended the cancellation of Golam Rabbani’s admission to the MPhil programme on the grounds that it had not been processed properly.
At the same time, it recommended declaring his post as DUCSU general secretary in the 2019 election invalid.