Protests at USTC: Students try to set teacher afire

Some students yesterday poured kerosene on a professor in an attempt to set him on fire at the University of Science and Technology of Chittagong.

The incident happened around noon during a protest against Prof Masud Mahmood of the English department. They also physically assaulted him.

Witnesses said some students of the department, who demanded the termination of Prof Masud for delivering “obscene lectures in the classroom”, started chanting slogans at the university gate around 11:30am and at one point dragged him out of the administration building.

Speaking to The Daily Star, Masud said, “They dragged me out of the office building and physically assaulted me.

“Mahmudul Hasan, a master’s student of English, poured kerosene on me when several others pushed me into the crowd.”

USTC Registrar (acting) Dilip Kumar Barua said, “The students were pouring kerosene on Prof Masud and trying to set him on fire when we rescued him and informed police about the matter.

“We caught the student who poured kerosene. He admitted his attempt to set the teacher on fire in front of police and the university administration. We have handed him over to police.”

Gazi Rakayat, a third-year student of the department, said the students got locked in an altercation with Masud when a few teachers tried to rescue him, but the students dragged him out and one of them poured kerosene on him.

Prof Jahangir Alam, USTC vice-chancellor, told The Daily Star, “We have formed a three-member panel, headed by Prof Jasim Uddin of the medical science department, to investigate the incident.

“After the probe, action will be taken against those responsible.”

Campus sources said that on April 16 a group of students of the English department raised allegations against the professor of delivering obscene lectures and demanded his termination by launching protests.

In May, the authority formed a probe committee, who did not find the allegation to be true, they said.

The demonstration was called off at the beginning of June. It resumed yesterday at the university gate when Prof Masud came to the campus in the morning, witnesses said.

After the incident, the students barricaded Jakir Hossain Road, triggering traffic jam on both sides of the road for an hour.

Officer-in-Charge Pranab Chowdhury of Khulshi Police Station said they rushed to the spot after being informed, and traffic movement resumed after the blockade was lifted.

He added that USTC’s acting registrar filed a case against Mahmudul in connection with the incident.