Pro-Awami League Dhaka University teachers fight at meeting, one injured

Colleagues have allegedly injured a member of Blue Panel, the pro-Awami League teachers' body of Dhaka University, in a fight during a meeting.

The alleged victim, Professor AKM Jamal Uddin of sociology department, is a supporter of former vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique.

Jamal alleged AKM Golam Rabbani, pharmacy department Chairman Sitesh Chandra Bachar, and Prof Shah Md Masum assaulted him during the meeting at the cafeteria of the Teacher-Student Centre or TSC on Thursday afternoon.

AKM Golam Rabbani

Rabbani, who became proctor recently after new VC Md Akhtaruzzaman took charge, has denied having attacked Jamal.

Blue Panel Convenor Abdul Aziz, however, threatened to launch a movement demanding resignation of the proctor if Rabbani is not sacked by Friday. 

A group of reporters went to VC Akhtaruzzaman for his comments after hearing about the incident.

He asked them to come later, saying he was hearing from the teachers about the incident. He did not take phone calls later.

A doctor of the university's medical centre was brought to the VC's official residence, where Aziz and some other teachers took Jamal. 

Emerging from the house around 10pm with the doctor's prescription in his hand, Jamal told bdnews24.com that the proctor was 'attacking him personally' in his speech during the meeting.   

"He hit me when I said he should not have attacked me in this manner being a proctor. Shah Masum and Sitesh Chandra then knocked me down kicking and boxing," Jamal said.

"Masum also tried to hit me with a chair. The other teachers of the Blue Panel then surrounded me for protection.

"A punch caused my nose to bleed," he added.

Professor AKM Jamal Uddin

Some of the teachers who attended the meeting said the supporters of Arefin Siddique and those of Akhtaruzzaman started hurling abuses at each other when the meeting began at 4pm.

A fight took place when Jamal protested against Proctor Rabbani's comments about him and former VC Arefin, the witnesses said.

Denying the allegation of attacking Jamal, Proctor Rabbani said, "Jamal Uddin pushed me in the chest when I was delivering my speech. The teachers surrounded to protect me from him at the time.

"But Jamal also shoved them in attempt to reach me. I was surprised at the suddenness of the incident.

"Later I saw Jamal sitting on the floor at a corner. Then I escorted him to a chair and requested the others not to tell him anything," the proctor said.

Asked whether Sitesh and Masum hit Jamal, he said he did not notice anything as the others surrounded him.