Brac U students protest assault on teacher

Students of Brac University yesterday took to the streets to protest assault on a teacher of the law department allegedly by the registrar of the private university.

Against the backdrop, the university authority decided to form a committee to investigate the matter.

Lecturer of the law department Farhaan Uddin Ahmed filed a complaint against Registrar Muhammad Sahool Afzal, Assistant Registrar Md Mahi Uddin and senior officer at the office of co-curricular activities Jabed Rasel over the alleged assault on him on Sunday.

On his Facebook page, Farhaan wrote he had been called to the registrar's office on Sunday and then to the human resources department where he was handed a cheque and documents for immediate termination of his contract with the university.

He refused to accept the cheque and documents. “Since I had submitted an official grievance application against the administration, I refused to accept the documents.” The Grievance Resolution Committee was yet to make its final decision.

At this point, the registrar and two others asked Farhaan to hand over his university ID.

“The registrar pulled my ID card with such great force that my panjabi pocket was torn. I was pushed down so violently that I still have bruises all over my arms and even on my chest,” Farhaan said.

As the news spread, students on the campus gathered to demonstrate. The agitation continued yesterday.

Several attempts to reach the registrar for comments failed.

In a statement on the university's website, Vice-chancellor Syed Saad Andaleeb said an enquiry committee was formed in light of the situation on the campus. 

Earlier, the VC invited a group of students to meet him and share their views regarding the incident. But the call was declined.

The VC wants to conclude this episode as soon as possible and fairly, according to the statement.

Wishing not to be named, a student of the university said the protest would be continued until they got justice. 

Sub-inspector Sohel Rana told The Daily Star that a written complaint had been filed with Banani Police Station regarding the assault of the teacher.