Bangladesh News

The complainant, who lodged the case against teachers and students of Dhaka University (DU) for breaching emergency power rules (EPR), during hearing of the case yesterday did not specify who violated the rules.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Rabbani recorded the deposition of the complainant Sergeant Shawkat Ahmed of Nilkhet police camp as the trial of the case began yesterday. Defence lawyers of one of the accused, Prof Neem Chandra Bhowmik, also cross-examined the complainant.

On August 22, the case was filed against some 6,000 unnamed students and teachers of DU and outsiders for violating the EPR, vandalising public and private property, obstructing police duties, and assault on law enforcers on DU campus and in adjacent areas.

But on September 9, police pressed charges in the case against four DU teachers and 15 students of the university for instigating violence on the university campus and at Shahbagh in the capital on August 22.

The four teachers and one of the students are now in jail custody. The detained teachers are Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (Duta) President Prof Sadrul Amin, its General Secretary Prof Anwar Hossain, Science Faculty Dean Prof Harun-or-Rashid and Applied Physics Department Chairman Prof Neem Chandra Bhowmik.

After completion of the cross-examination, the court fixed December 24 for next hearing of the case.

Family members of the detained teachers and the student expressed their frustration over the next hearing date as it would fall after the Eid holidays as well as the December 23 deadline of the Duta’s demand for their release.

Duta following assurance from the government had earlier postponed its demonstration scheduled for December 9.

However, on December 11, a Dhaka court framed charges against the accused for breaching the EPR.

Hearing of another case against the accused on charge of instigating violence is set to be held tomorrow.

Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, former president of Duta, said the assurance from the government made the teachers hopeful that the government would take steps for the unconditional release of the detainees before the December 23 deadline, “but today’s development in the court frustrated the teachers and the family members of the detainees as everyone hoped that the detainees would be freed before the Eid vacation.”

If the teachers and students are not released within the deadline, congenial academic atmosphere in the university might be hindered, he added.

Another former president of Duta, Prof Sharif Ullah Bhuiyan, said if there is goodwill on the government’s part, the teachers can be released any time.

No comment was available from Duta Acting General Secretary Dr Mamun Ahmed over the issue.