Rabindra University authorities  suspended teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten from academic and administrative activities for three academic years for trimming the hair of its 14 students. An office order on the final decision of the university authorities, signed by registrar Sohrab Hossain, was hanged on the notice board on Sunday. According to the office order, Farhana, an associate professor of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department, has been instructed to refrain from all academic and administrative activities including taking classes and exams, until the end of the academic activities of 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic years. Read:Haircut humiliation: Probe body recommends action against teacher Farhana Regarding the decision, students, who have been demanding termination of the teacher,  said that it would have been better if such a decision had been taken by the Academic Council at the beginning of the movement. However, the university authorities took such a decision in favor of accused teacher Farhana Yeasmin, the students alleged. Earlier on September 26, Farhana Yeasmin Baten, also the chair of the Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department, was charged with forcibly cutting the hair of 16 students. The following day, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, a student, tried to take his own life by consuming sleeping pills, prompting the university students to burst into protests. They also boycotted all the exams and classes on September 28. Amid the protests, Farhana relinquished her three administrative positions on the same day. Read: RUB haircut humiliation: Students on indefinite hunger strike demanding termination of accused teacher Later, a five-member probe body was formed to investigate the incident. The university finally suspended Farhana on September 30. On October 24, Shamim Hossain, a third-year student of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies, reportedly attempted to kill himself by swallowing poison demanding termination of Farhana. Two days later, a probe committee formed by Rabindra University recommended taking action against its teacher Farhana for trimming the hair of its 14 students saying that it has found the ‘proof of her offence’.

The probe committee formed by Rabindra University has recommended taking action against its teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten for trimming the hair of its 14 students saying that it has found the ‘proof of her offence’. Registrar of the university Sohrab Ali told UNB on Monday that they received the probe report on Thursday. After receiving the report, a syndicate meeting was called on Friday. Read: RUB haircut humiliation: Students on indefinite hunger strike demanding termination of accused teacher An investigative team of the University Grants Commission (UGC) will visit the university campus on Wednesday and the final decision on the fate of Farhana, a teacher of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies department, will be taken after that, Sohrab said. Meanwhile, the university students resumed their protests on Sunday demanding that the teacher be terminated. The protestors on that day confined 30 teachers and staff of the university to two academic buildings for at least 10 long hours -- from 2pm-1.30 am.

Fourteen students of Rabindra University Bangladesh (RUB), who were allegedly subjected to the humiliation of forced haircuts in public by a member of their proctorial board, have given their statements before a 5-member committee formed to probe the incident. Meanwhile the accused teacher, Farhana Yasmin Baten, who chaired the Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department of the university before resigning over the incident, has sought two weeks to give her statement. Starting from Sunday morning, thirteen of the students gave their statements appearing in person before the committee, while one who remains hospitalised after trying to commit suicide out of humiliation over the incident appeared virtually. READ: Haircut humiliation: Rabindra University suspends teacher Farhana Apart from the victims, all students of the Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department, fifteen other students of the department, three teachers, five officials, and five students of a different department gave witness statements on the incident. Additionally eight other students from different departments gave statements on the arbitrary treatment they had received from Farhana Yasmin Baten over the last three years. “Many victims broke down into tears while explaining the humiliation they faced that day in the name of discipline, '' said spokesperson for the students' protest movement over the incident AKM Nazmul Hossain. READ: HC wants to know of steps against teachers in Rabindra University incident  Farhana Yasmin sent an e-mail addressed to the Vice-Chancellor of the university seeking two weeks for giving her statement, according to treasurer Abdul Latif, who is currently on routine post of VC. On September 26, Farhana instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of 14 first-year students as they were entering examination halls, apparently for ignoring her previous instructions to get haircuts. Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department, consumed sleeping pills the following day in an attempt to take his own life. Although she submitted her resignation as department chair, assistant proctor, and member of the proctorial board, Farhana has continued to deny the allegations and claimed the charges against her were all fabricated, as she rejected the request of a few students to defer the exam. On Thursday, the RUB students staged protests demanding the termination of the teacher. The following day, the High Court asked the RUB VC and registrar to take steps against those involved in the incident and to file a report within a month. On Thursday night, the RUB authorities suspended Farhana from her teaching position as well.  On Saturday, following assurance by Education Minister Dipu Moni of launching a probe into the incident, students eased their protest and unlocked the administrative building of the university. Head of the probe committee proctor Layla Ferdous disagreed to give any statement on the matter while their work is still ongoing.

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. Also read: Haircut humiliation: Rabindra University suspends teacher Farhana “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. Also read: Haircut humiliation: Rabindra University students continue protests 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.

Rabindra University teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten who ignited protests after allegedly trimming the hair of its 14 students as "punishment" has been suspended. The decision was taken at an urgent meeting of the syndicate committee on Thursday night, chaired by acting Vice Chancellor Abdul Latif, the university said in a release. All examinations and administrative activities of the university have also been suspended till further notice, it said. While acting Vice Chancellor Abdul Latif presided over the syndicate meeting, Dean of Arts Faculty of Dhaka University Prof Abu Mohammad Delwar Hossain, Joint Secretary-3 of the Education Ministry Syeda Nawara Jahan and Registrar of Rabindra University Md Sohrab Ali were present. All the members present at the meeting expressed regret over the incident and decided to suspend Farhana Yasmin Baten, UNB has learnt. Besides, a call will be taken on the dismissal of the teacher after the probe committee submits its report. READ: HC wants to know of steps against teachers in Rabindra University incident On Thursday, student protests gripped Rabindra University against the teacher. The protesters demanded that Farzana be permanently sacked from the university for humiliating their peers. Meanwhile, the High Court on Thursday asked the Vice-Chancellor and the registrar of Rabindra University to inform it about steps taken against the teachers who were involved in forcefully trimming the hair of 14 students as punishment. The court gave them a month to file their responses. The court also questioned why legal action will not be taken against Associate Prof  Farzana, the Chairman of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department of RU, assistant professors Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, as well as why direction to compensate the humiliated students with Tk 20 lakh each should not be given. On September 29, amid student protests, Farhana quit the three positions of assistant proctor, head of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department and syndicate member. Earlier, the university authorities formed a five-member committee to probe the incident. On September 26, while entering the examination halls to sit for their final exams, Farzana instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of 14 first-year students, and he did it accordingly. Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department and a resident of Magura district, allegedly consumed sleeping pills on Monday in an effort to take his own life. READ: Haircut humiliation: Rabindra University students continue protests However, Farhana denied the allegation and claimed it was just a propaganda against her as she did not defer the exam as per the request of a few students.

Protests continued to grip Rabindra University on Thursday  against a teacher who allegedly ordered a forcible haircut of 14 students who were about to sit for final examination. Student protesters demanded that controversial teacher Farzana Yasmin Baten be permanently sacked from the university for humiliating their peers. Though she resigned as the chairman of Department of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies, assistant proctor, and a member of the proctorial board, the gestures did little to pacify the protesters. Four students named Habib, Zahid, Sirat and Zakaria of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Study department, who went on a fast-unto-death hunger strike, fell sick on Thursday, the second day of their protest. Among them, Habib was admitted to Shajadpur Upazila Health Complex while the rest were given first aid.

Amid student protests, Farhana Yeasmin Baten, assistant proctor of Rabindra University, has quit three posts over her alleged involvement in trimming the hair of its 16 students as punishment and subsequent ‘suicide attempt’ by one of them. Farhana quit the three positions of assistant proctor, head of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies Department and syndicate member—and submitted resignation letters on Tuesday night. Earlier, the university authorities formed a five-member committee to probe the incident, said treasurer and acting vice-chancellor of the university Abdul Latif. According to some students of the department, Farhana asked the first-year students of the department to trim their hair. All but 16 students did not comply with her instruction as per the advice. On Sunday, while they were entering the examination halls to sit for their final exams, the teacher instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of the 16 students and he did it accordingly, the students alleged. Protesting the incident, the students boycotted the examination held on Monday and it went viral on social media following the student protest. The students also formed a human chain at the university’s temporary campus-1 in Shahzadpur Mohila Degree College area on Monday, where the assistant proctor showed up and instructed them to wrap up their protests or get failed in the exams. Unable to bear the humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department and a resident of Magura district, consumed sleeping pills on Monday in an effort to take his own life. He was undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khaza Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital. However, Farhana denied the allegation and claimed that it is propaganda against her as she did not defer the exam as per the request of a few students. Contacted, additional treasurer of the university Abdul Latif said they have no idea what the issue is, and there has been no written complaint in this regard.