Bangladesh News

Dhaka University (DU) teachers and students observed ‘Black Day’ yesterday marking last year’s campus unrest that led to the arrest of several teachers and students on charges of breaking the Emergency Power Rules.

They wore black badges protesting repression of teachers and students last year and demanding withdrawal of the case against seven DU students.

Two senior teachers Prof Md Anwar Hossain and Prof Harun-or-Rashid were detained from the DU teachers’ quarters on this day last year while several university students were held at different places.

Later, Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (Duta) President Prof Sadrul Amin and Prof Nimchandra Bhowmik were also arrested.

”It is a token protest. We are observing the day as a ‘black day’ as part of the protest,” Duta President Prof Sadrul Amin told The Daily Star.

Meanwhile, seven students, accused in a case on charges of torching an army vehicle last year, held a solidarity rally at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla demanding withdrawal of the case.

A number of DU teachers and student leaders attended the rally.

“I urge those who deem Dhaka University as their opponent not to bear such thoughts in their mind as students and teachers of the university do not consider anyone as their opponent,” said Duta General Secretary Prof Anwar Hossain, adding that the cases against the DU teachers and students must be withdrawn.

He said, “I urge the DGFI to say they want to achieve a reconciliation with the teachers and students of Dhaka University.”

Prof Anwar urged the caretaker government to lift the state of emergency immediately and hold a free, fair and credible election as soon as possible.

Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, former Duta president and a teacher at the mass communication and journalism department, said all cases against the university students should be withdrawn to allow them study freely without any fear.

“They should be given the chance to study in a peaceful environment,” he added.

He also said the university authorities should bear the expenses for providing medical treatment to the university students tortured by the law enforcers.

Social Science Faculty Dean Prof Harun-or-Rashid said the cases against the students and teachers must be withdrawn to ensure a peaceful atmosphere on the university campus.

DU teachers Dr Muhammad Samad, Zinat Huda, Wahiduzzaman Chan, Robaet Ferdous, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) president Mahmud Hasan Ripon, its general secretary Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton, BCL DU unit president Sohel Rana Tipu, its general secretary Sajjad Sakib Badsha, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) president Azizul Bari Helal, its organising secretary Abdul Kader Bhuiyan Jewel, JCD DU unit president Hasan Mamun and six of the seven accused students spoke at the rally.

Duta held a discussion at the association office in the evening.

The teachers demanded immediate withdrawal of the case against seven students and also the case against four teachers on charges of instigating violence on the campus.

Three DU teachers — Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof Anwar Hossain, Prof Harun-or-Rashid — were sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in the case. Later, the teachers filed an appeal with a Dhaka court challenging the verdict.

Meantime, Samajtantrik Chhatra Dal and Pragatishil Chhatra Jote also brought out processions on the campus demanding withdrawal of the case against the seven students.

Violence broke out on the DU campus on August 20 last year in protest against the assault of a university student by security personnel. Later, violence spread to other educational institutions across the country and lasted for three days.