Arrested under DSA: RU teacher suspended

Rajshahi University authorities have suspended teacher Kazi Zahidur Rahman, who was arrested under the Digital Security Act for making "defamatory" comments about Awami League's deceased presidium member Mohammed Nasim.

A syndicate meeting presided over by Vice Chancellor M Abdus Sobhan at the VC's residence this morning took the decision, said syndicate member Professor Abdul Alim.

Zahidur Rahman, assistant professor of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of RU, has been suspended as he was made accused in a case, our RU correspondent reports quoting the syndicate member.

Around 2:00am on June 18, Zahidur Rahman, who is also assistant provost of MadarBux hall of the university, was arrested from campus quarters in connection with a case filed under Sections 25, 29 and 31 of the DSA.

Tapos Kumar Saha, a lawyer, filed the case with Motihar Police Station on June 17.

According to the case statement, ZahidurRahman criticised former health minister Mohammed Nasim in two Facebook posts on June 1 and 2, with intentions to "defame" Nasim and "hurt public sentiment".

Zahidur Rahman was also information and research secretary of Narail district AL, which scrapped his party membership on June 16 for his comment on Nasim.