Six teachers serving as assistant proctors at Dhaka University (DU) have submitted resignation letters from their positions.

Allegations erupted that they were requested indirectly by the proctor to step down. Two assistant proctors submitted yesterday and four today.

In their resignation letters, all six cited personal and academic commitments, saying they wanted to devote more time to their families.

However, a source said the teachers had been individually approached and requested to resign before submitting their letters.

According to the source, the proctor requested one of the teachers to step down, saying, "Look, I did not want this, but there is a lot of pressure from above. It would be better if you resigned."

"He spoke very gently and politely, so I resigned," the source added.

The proctor, however, denied putting any pressure on the teachers.

"If that had been the case, they could have mentioned it in their resignation letters. I have good relations with everyone," he said.

The teachers who resigned are Dr Md Rafiqul Islam, associate professor of the Department of Arabic; Atia Sanjida Shormi, lecturer of the Department of Zoology; Muhammad Mahbub Kaisar, associate professor of the Department of Sociology; Sharmin Kabir, associate professor of the Institute of Education and Research; Jahangir Alam, assistant professor of the Department of Management Information Systems (MIS); and Rezaul Karim Sohag, assistant professor of Criminology Department.

All six teachers were appointed as assistant proctors during the tenure of the interim government following the July Mass Uprising.

Asked about the resignations, DU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr A B M Obaidul Islam said, "I know that they are resigning citing personal reasons. I am not aware of any other reasons."