Rabindra University incident- What step against teachers: HC

High Court.

Dhaka, Sept 30 - The High Court on Thursday asked the Vice-Chancellor and the registrar of Rabindra University to inform it about steps taken against the teachers who were involved in forcefully trimming the hair of 14 students as punishment.

The court gave the respondents a month.

Bench of Justice Md Mojibur Rahman Mia and Md Kamrul Hossain Molla passed the order with a rule issued during a hearing on a writ petition filed in this regard.

In the rule the court questioned why giving unlawful punishment of trimming hair before staff, students and inciting to suicide will not be considered illegal.

The court also questioned why legal actions will not be taken against Chairman of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department of RU, Farhana Yeasmin Baten, assistant professor Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, as well as why direction to compensate the humiliated students with Tk 20 lakh each should not be given.

The rule also questioned why a directive to introduce a code of ethics for teacher, students would not be given to prevent such oppressive incidents at educational institutes.

Education secretary, Secretary of Home Ministry, RU VC, Registrar , Farhana Yeasmin Baten, professor Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, Sirajganj Superintendent of police and Sadar police station’s Officer-in-Charge were made respondents  to the rule.

Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab presented the petitioner’s side during the hearing while Deputy Attorney General Nowroj Md Rasel Chowdhury stood for the state.

On September 29, Supreme court lawyer Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab and Mohammad Kausar filed the writ petition at the court.

“The punishment was not only illegal, it was humiliating to the students so much that one of them attempted suicide hence we filled the writ petition,” said barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab.

On September 29, amid student protests,  teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten quit the three positions of assistant proctor, head of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department and syndicate member.

Earlier, the university authorities formed a five-member committee to probe the incident.

On September 26, while entering the examination halls to sit for their final exams, Professor Farzana Yasmin instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of 14 first year students, and he did it accordingly.

Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department and a resident of Magura district, consumed sleeping pills on Monday in an effort to take his own life.

He was undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khaza Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital.

However, Farhana denied the allegation and claimed it all is propaganda against her as she did not defer the exam as per the request of a few students. - UNB