Dipu Moni finds activities of BUET teachers, alumni associations 'mysterious'

Education Minister Dipu Moni has said she is “ashamed” by the grisly murder of BUET student Abrar Fahad in alleged torture by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists, but found the activities of the teachers and alumni in its aftermath “mysterious”.

Where the associations of teachers and alumni were when such incidents had occurred in the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology or BUET earlier, she asked.    

The ministry has nothing to do with the demands raised by the protesting students and the issues have to be settled by the university administration, according to her.

The minister spoke to reporters after a programme at the International Mother Language Institute on Thursday. 

“Incidents such as the one of Abrar murder had occurred in BUET earlier. Where had the teachers and alumni associations been then? Why hadn’t they waged a movement then? Why have they joined the movement now?" she asked before adding, "It’s mysterious to me."

The associations have demanded resignation of Vice-Chancellor Saiful Islam for his “failure” to ensure safety of students blaming the administration’s continuous apathy to the situation.     

“The VC’s resignation does not depend on the education ministry. Such decisions come from the government high-ups,” Dipu Moni said and added Prof Saiful has a few more months left to his tenure.

“We have nothing to do with the demands raised by the students in the movement. The current unrest in BUET has to be resolved by its administration,” she said.

The government will not force anything on BUET, the education minister said when asked if the ministry would ban politics in the institution.

“The education ministry has nothing to do with it. But I am ashamed of the incident. The people are shocked by the murder of a meritorious student,” she added.