Students join ousted DU teacher’s ‘class in staircase’

Rushad Faridi, an assistant professor of the economics department of Dhaka University (DU) who was sent into forced retirement in 2017, held a class in the corridor of the social sciences building on Sunday protesting the authorities’ refusal to reinstate him, reports UNB.

Rushad Faridi took the class in the staircase of the social science building around 12:30pm.

Around one hundred students from different departments participated in his class.

Rushad Faridi said, “Students first urged me to take class but the authorities didn’t allow. Then I took a class in the corridor protesting the authorities illegal order and if students want, I will continue my class."

“I will continue my protest with placard in front of the department. I won’t stop until the authorities change the decision,” he said.

Sadman Hossain, a student of Anthropology Department, said, “Rushad Faridi is a good teacher, we all enjoyed his class, authorities should allow him to go back to classroom immediately."

Faridi staged a sit-in on Thursday in front of the department chairman’s room demanding the authorities concerned to allow him to go back to classroom.
He was holding a placard inscribing, “I’m a teacher, let me go back to classroom”, went viral on social media.

Faridi, an assistant professor of economics department of DU, was sent on forced leave on 13 July, 2017 following a syndicate meeting without issuing any show cause notice after a number of teachers of the department brought some allegations against Rushad and refused to work with him.

On 24 July, 2017, the High Court questioned the legality of the syndicate’s decision to send Rushad Faridi on forced leave.

The court then issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the Dhaka University to explain in two weeks why the syndicate’s decision to send Faridi on forced leave should not be declared illegal.

After two years on 25 August this year, the High Court declared the syndicate’s decision illegal and ordered the DU authorities to allow Faridi to join his office.
The HC declared the verdict following a writ petition filed by Faridi.