Chhatra League activists drag, assault teachers at SUST in Sylhet

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders and activists have dragged and beaten up their teachers who were peacefully demonstrating against the vice-chancellor of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).

Shahjalal University Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 30 August 2015, 09:32 PM
Updated : 2 Sept 2015, 12:27 PM

The spokesperson for the demonstrating teachers, Syed Shamsul Islam, said at least seven teachers were injured in the attack in front of the Administrative Building on Sunday.

A faction of the pro-government teachers’ platform claimed VC Aminul Haque Bhuiyan instigated the attack.

They have announced that they will stay off work for a half day on Monday and march on the campus in protest.

VC Bhuiyan, however, backed the attackers, saying the students came at their own will to protect the academic environment.

BCL General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain tried to wash their hands of the job amid a furious backlash.

The SUST unit of ruling Awami League’s student affiliate has claimed they took no organisational decision to stop the teachers.

Unit President Sanjiban Chakravarty Partha and General Secretary Imran Khan were seen standing barely 20 feet away from the spot when the teachers were being manhandled.

Besides General Secretary Khan, Senior Vice President Abu Sayeed, Vice President Anjan Roy and Senior Joint Secretary Sajedul Islam Sabuj could be seen taking part in the assault.

They were joined by activists Dhani Ram Roy, Abdul Baten Tonmoy, Arifur Rahman Rony, Abdus Salam Manju, Kamrul Islam, ‘Jewel’, Arifur Rahman Kennedy, Faisal Ahmed, ‘Tamal’, and ‘Jahid’.

Human rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra (ASK) has demanded stern action against the BCL activists who attacked the teachers.

The attack has triggered an outpouring of anger in the social media.

“Chheeh!”, or shame, is what Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Special Assistant Mahbubul Hoque Shakil wrote in a Facebook post. He was a BCL leader in his Dhaka University student days.

Blogger Arifur Rahman wrote that Muhammed Zafar Iqbal, a teacher of the university and science fiction writer, was ‘childish’ to exclaim seeing the ‘goons’ attacking the demonstrating teachers raising the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan.

“He may have not figured out until now that the politicians of this country don’t see anything other than possible rivals,” he said.

Zafar Iqbal, sitting alone in the university’s roundabout some 10 yards away from the site of the attack, said, "I should hang himself to death if any of the attackers was found to be my student."

The teacher’s platform has been demonstrating since Apr 12, demanding expulsion of the VC for alleged misconduct, irregularities and corruption.

Another organisation of pro-government teachers, however, claims the movement is a conspiracy to destabilise the university.

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid recently sat with both the sides to resolve the crisis.

An order was also issued curbing the VC’s powers to make appointments, assign new duties, and introduce new systems.

But the movement has persisted with the VC Bhuiyan refusing to resign.