Call to arrest, sack DU teacher Prof Morshed Khan over ‘snide remarks’ on Bangabandhu

The leaders of Muktijuddho Mancha, the platform of descendants of freedom fighters, have demanded permanent expulsion and arrest of Dhaka University’s marketing professor Morshed Hasan Khan, who is accused of belittling Bangabandhu and distorting history in a newspaper article.

The leaders made their demands from a human chain demonstration staged at the altar of Raju Memorial Sculpture around 12pm on Tuesday.

They also submitted a memorandum to Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Aktaruzzaman asking him to take action against Khan after marching in a procession on the Dhaka University campus.

They threatened to take tougher steps if their demands went unmet in the next seven days.

“Muktijuddha Mancha has always been uncompromising over the issues of Bangabandhu and the Liberation War. Prof Khan distorted the history to implement the agenda of a group who opposed Bangladesh’s independence during the Liberation War. It’s a clear violation of our constitution,” the organisation’s President Al Mamun said.

The article, published in Bangla daily Naya Diganta, titled ‘Jyotirmoy Zia’ (radiant Zia) highlighted Major General Ziaur Rahman's contribution to Bangladesh. Slain president Zia was the country's first military dictator.

“Most of the Awami League leaders and their families went to India, leaving the people of the country leaderless and in a death trap; even Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was at the centre of their dreams did the same,” Prof Khan wrote.

“The proclamation of independence came after Mujib had been arrested, not before that. As far as I know, he never proclaimed independence,” he added.

The BNP, formed by Zia, claims he is the proclaimer of independence. The issue of the proclamation of independence had been contested by the BNP supporters and the High Court had to settle the debate by declaring that Bangabandhu proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh.

The Father of the Nation effectively proclaimed independence in his historic Mar 7, 1971 speech. The official proclamation of independence was also read out on his behalf before the Liberation War started on Mar 26.

The Dhaka University authorities decided to relieve Khan of all academic and administrative duties until further notice on Apr 3, 2018.

The judicial procedure against Khan is under way.

The syndicate members of the university will make a final decision about him on the basis of the observations and recommendations submitted by the panel and tribunal formed on the matter.