DU forms probe body over sexual harassment allegations against professor

Dhaka University syndicate has formed two probe bodies to look into allegations, including of sexual harassment, against Mass Communication and Journalism department professor Naadir Junaid.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the DU syndicate on Sunday.

Last month, a total of 28 postgraduate students brought allegations that the professor handed them bad grades out of personal grudge. On the heels of that, a female student of the department brought the allegation of sexual harassment and emotional abuse against the professor. In the face of strong protests by journalism students, the Dhaka University administration last month sent Naadir Junaid on forced leave for three months.

Again in the last week of the previous month, another former female student at a university in the capital brought allegations of sexual harassment against Naadir.

DU’s pro-vice chancellor and syndicate member Sitesh Chandra Bachar told Prothom Alo a fact-finding committee has been formed to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against the professor. The probe body has been asked to submit a report within two weeks.

A syndicate member on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo that Law faculty dean Shima Zaman has been made head of the probe body. The other two members are Masudur Rahman and Sanchita Guha.

The probe report would be sent to the university’s cell against sexual harassment once available.

The second committee will investigate allegations of bad results of postgraduate students of the department due to personal grudges.

The head of the committee is pro-vice chancellor Sitesh Chandra Bachar. The other members are Abul Mansur Ahmed and Bahalul Hoque Chowdhury.