The High Court on Tuesday asked the Dhaka University authorities to explain in four weeks why its decision to terminate Professor Morshed Hasan Khan from his job should not be declared illegal.
The bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir issued the rule on Wednesday following a writ petition filed by Prof Morshed, a teacher at the marketing department.
Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua stood for the writ while Deputy Attorney General Arvind Kumar Roy represented the state.
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Earlier last year, the university sacked Prof. Morshed on charges of distorting the country's history and defaming Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The professor made some remarks on Bangabandhu in an article titled "Jyotirmoy Zia", published in a national daily on March 25, 2018 prompting strong objections and condemnation from the DU wing of Bangladesh Chhatra League.
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After the ruling, Jyotirmoy told the media that the DU authorities sent a termination letter to his client on Oct 6. On Oct 11, Prof Morshed submitted an appeal to the DU vice-chancellor against his termination, but the VC did not act in seven months.
“So we have filed a writ petition with the HC challenging the authorities. Today, the court delivered a verdict challenging the legality of the termination,,” he added.