DU students set 10-day ultimatum for probe into alleged sexual harassment by teacher

The students threatened to resume their protests and boycott classes again if their demands aren't met

Journalism students at Dhaka University have resumed classes after giving authorities a 10-day ultimatum to investigate and take action against Prof Naadir Junaid, accused of sexually and mentally harassing a female student.

During a media briefing on Sunday, they warned that they would resume their protests and boycott classes once again if the university does not meet their demands.

“If the university doesn't form an unbiased probe committee and start the trial process within the next 10 days, or if we see any negligence, bias, lack of transparency, or attempts to influence the trial, we will resume our class boycott,” said Rafiz Khan, a representative from the department’s 13th batch.

The allegations against Prof Junaid include both sexual and mental harassment of a female student, alongside accusations of deliberately lowering the grades of an entire batch.

On Feb 10, the student filed a formal complaint with Proctor Prof Maksudur Rahman, including audio recordings and message screenshots as evidence.

Prof Junaid has denied these accusations, suggesting they stem from personal animosity and an attempt to block his appointment as the next department chair.

The protests began on Feb 11, with students demanding a thorough investigation and appropriate action against Prof Junaid. They locked the professor's office and sealed the classrooms, while also delivering a memorandum to the vice-chancellor.