68 DU teachers remain barred from classes 20 months after July Uprising

There has been no headway in the official investigations against the teachers

Nearly two years have passed since the July Uprising, but at least 68 Dhaka University teachers accused of opposing the student protest movement have remained barred from academic activities, with official investigations seeing little to no progress.

While the university administration initially took steps to identify and probe those who allegedly incited attacks on protesters or participated in “pro-Awami League” rallies, a lack of "will" from the administration and a lack of evidence have stalled the process.

Following the changeover in government, former vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Niaz Ahmed Khan formed a committee to identify teachers and officials who acted against students.

The committee’s head, Arts Faculty Dean Professor Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, admitted there has been no headway.

"This committee has done no work because the former VC did not want to take responsibility for these matters," Rahman told bdnews24.com.

He added that while he submitted reports for other committees, no action was taken on them either.

A fact-finding committee led by Professor Quazi Mahfujul Hoque Supan identified at least 70 teachers who allegedly incited violence via social media, but noted that their mandate was limited to investigating the involvement of students, not teachers.

Pro-VC Prof Sayema Haque Bidisha said, "If we rush the reports, they might not stand in court. We are not pressuring them so they can create proper reports."

Prof Samina Luthfah of the University Teachers’ Network criticised both sides for playing "politics".

Failure to complete the trials in a long time is the failure of the institution, she said.

“Those who cannot return to class are doing politics, and those who are delaying the trials are also doing politics," she said.

The teachers’ leader also noted that the delay broke the bond of trust between teachers and students.

Many of the barred teachers, primarily affiliated with the pro-Awami League “Blue Panel”, claim they are victims of political vengeance and "mob" culture.

"I have been boycotted just for being in the Blue Panel. A departmental committee found no crime, yet I am not allowed to take courses," said Associate Professor Ishrat Jahan of the anthropology department.

Shahrima Tanjin Arni, a lecturer in the Department of Law, shared a similar experience, saying she was barred after a "mob" of students -- some of whom were not even her pupils -- protested her presence due to her past affiliation with the Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The standoff has led to significant academic backlogs in departments like sociology and political science, where students are nearly a semester behind due to a shortage of teachers.

Financially, the university is bearing a heavy burden.

According to the accounts office, none of the barred teachers have had their salaries or benefits suspended.

The institution has incurred an estimated loss of Tk 120 million over the past 20 months, including approximately Tk 5 million per month in salaries for inactive teachers.

The list of 66 teachers includes several high-profile figures.

They include former VCs ASM Maksud Kamal and Prof Sitesh Chandra Bachar, and professors Sadeka Halim, Zeenat Huda, Abul Kashem Mohammad Jamal Uddin, Mesbah Kamal, Rahmat Ullah, Jamila A Chowdhury, Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam and Mizanur Rahman.

Current VC Prof ABM Obaidul Islam, who recently took office, said he would review the situation from where his predecessor left off.