Two teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) have been temporarily suspended based on the investigation committee’s reports on various incidents.
This information was disclosed in three separate press releases sent by Professor Md. Akhtar Hossain Majumder, the university’s public relations administrator, on Sunday (February 17) night.
According to the press releases, a committee has been formed to determine the final punishment for the two temporarily suspended teachers as per the investigation report’s recommendations. Additionally, decisions were made to reinstate the studentship of a former student, withdraw allegations against a teacher, and bar three teachers from all examination-related activities for five years.
The press release further mentioned that Associate Professor Anik Krishna Karmakar of the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering was temporarily suspended due to allegations brought by students.
Moreover, the temporary suspension of Associate Professor Sadikul Islam of the Law Department has been upheld based on the investigation committee’s report regarding allegations of sexual harassment and rape against him.
A committee has also been formed under Section 55(3) of the Rajshahi University Act 1973 to impose final penalties on these two teachers.
Another press release stated that the review committee, formed regarding the cancellation of the studentship of Rafiqul Islam, a postgraduate student from the 2007-08 academic session of the Department of Applied Mathematics, recommended reinstating his studentship and publishing his unpublished examination results. This decision was made at the university’s 536th syndicate meeting held on February 6. Previously, his studentship was cancelled at the 461st syndicate meeting.
In another press release, the university’s public relations office stated that the 461st syndicate meeting’s decision regarding Professor Md. Shamsul Alam Sarkar, a retired teacher of the Applied Mathematics Department, was annulled based on the review committee’s report. All allegations against him have also been withdrawn.
It was proven that Professor Md. Shamsul Alam Sarkar had suffered punishment without any offense due to manipulation by three teachers — Abdul Haque, Ali Akbar, and Ashrafuzzaman Khan of the same department. Consequently, they have been barred from all examination-related activities for the next five years.
The syndicate expressed deep sympathy to Professor Md. Shamsul Alam Sarkar for the social humiliation, mental distress, and financial loss he suffered due to the previous decision.