Students protesting the haircut humiliation at Rabindra University Bangladesh have unlocked the administrative building of university on Saturday afternoon following assurance by Education Minister Dipu Moni of launching a probe into the incident.
The students said they will be there in front of the academic building until assistant proctor and chairperson of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department Farhana Yeasmin Baten is terminated.
Shamim Hossain, spokesperson of the protesting students, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni listened to their demand as well as wanted to know why they are continuing the protests although the teacher has been suspended.
“She (minister) also assured that proper action will be taken against the accused teacher on the basis of the probe committee report,” said Shamim.
They will end protests if they get justice from the investigation committee on Monday, or else they will go for a tougher movement, he added.
On September 26, Farhana instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of 14 first-year students while they were entering examination halls as they reportedly ignored her previous instruction to have their hair cut.
Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department, allegedly consumed sleeping pills the following day in an ‘attempt to take his own life’.
However, Farhana denied the allegation and claimed that it was just propaganda against her as she did not defer the exam as per the request of a few students.
On Thursday, the RUB students staged protests demanding termination of the teacher.
The following day, the High Court asked the RUB VC and registrar for taking steps against those involved in the incident and filing a report within a month.
The court also questioned why legal action will not be taken against associate professor Farhana, the chairman of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department of RUB, assistant professors Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon. The court also said why direction to compensate the humiliated students with Tk 20 lakh each should not be given.
Amid student protests, Farhana quit the three additional positions of assistant proctor, head of the department and syndicate member.
On Friday, the RUB authorities suspended Farhana, and formed a five-member committee earlier to probe the incident.
Source: United News of Bangladesh