‘I am a teacher, let me go back to the classroom’

A teacher of Dhaka University's economics department, who was sent on forced leave in 2017, has been staging a sit-in in front of the chairman’s room for the third consecutive day today demanding to be reinstated to his duties.

The image of the assistant professor, Rushad Faridi, holding a placard that reads “I am a teacher, let me go back to the classroom” went viral on social media platforms.

Faridi was sent into forced leave on July 13, 2017 following a syndicate meeting chaired by the then vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique. But he was not issued any “show-cause” notice then, reports our DU correspondent.

The decision was taken after a number of teachers of his department refused to work with him. But reason behind the step against the teacher could not be known immediately.

Talking to The Daily Star, Rushad Faridi claimed that he was always outspoken about irregularities inside department and became the victim of personal grudges.

The DU teacher also sent a legal notice to five people including then VC Arefin Siddique demanding reconsideration of the decision but he never got any response, he added.

HC ORDER OVER RUSHAD FARIDI’S FORCED LEAVE

On July 24, 2017 the High Court questioned the legality of the syndicate’s decision to send Rushad Faridi on forced leave.

The court then issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of DU to explain in two weeks why the syndicate’s decision to send Rushad Faridi on forced leave should not be declared illegal.

At last after a battle of two years on August 25 this year, the High Court declared illegal the syndicate’s decision also ordered the DU authorities to allow Rushad Faridi to join his office at its Economics Department.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Md Khairul Alam came up with the verdict following a writ petition filed by Rushd Faridi challenging the legality of DU syndicate’s decision to send him to forced leave.

DU AUTHORITIES’ STATEMENT

Rushad Faridi said he is yet to receive the certified copy of the verdict but he submitted his lawyers’ signed copy both at the department and university.

He also alleged that department’s chairman professor Shafique uz Zaman refused to receive his letter and also misbehaved with him thus he could not join at the department.

Denying the allegation, Shafique uz Zaman said they had nothing to do with this as there was a legal dispute between university and Rushad Faridi and also it is a sub-judice matter as they yet to get the full verdict of the court.

He further said that the university authorities would decide the fate of him and they would oblige the decision.

Acknowledging the matter, University incumbent VC Professor Akhtaruzzaman said he was concerned about it and they have to take decision following legal procedure.