Sacked DU teacher Prof Saiful Islam says he has been denied justice for being anti-government

Sacked for sexually assaulting a female student, Dhaka University professor Saiful Islam says he has been ‘denied justice’ for being a member of anti-government teacher panel.

Dismissing the allegation of abuse as false, he said in a statement on Thursday: “I’m the Arts Faculty joint convenor of White Group.  I think this identity had been considered more while punishing me.

“No action has been taken against several (pro-government) Blue Panel teachers despite there being more severe allegations of this nature against them.”

His statement came two days after DU Syndicate fired the former chairman of theatre and performance studies department based on the report of an investigation committee.

The university said they had evidence that he had sexually assaulted a female student.

Professor Saiful Islam confined to his office last year when students demonstrated against him.

Islam alleged in the statement that the probe committee had submitted the report arbitrarily. “I have been deprived of justice.”

He said the committee gave him no chance to defend himself, neither was he given a copy of allegations that the students and teachers of the department had brought against him.

Students of theatre and performance studies department alleged that the teacher had called the fourth-year student to his house and sexually molested her on Sept 13, 2014.

Prof Islam was suspended two days later after the students staged demonstrations.

He was also relieved of all academic and administrative duties.

Version of probe body

Investigation committee member Nilima Akter has dismissed the allegations of partiality in the probe.

She told bdnews24.com the teacher was given sufficient opportunity to defend himself.

Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, when reached for comment, said actions against Prof Islam had been taken as per rules and regulations.