DU VC rebuts Anu's remarks

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique yesterday protested the allegations that he denied any occurrence of molestation of females during the Pahela Baishakh celebrations on the campus and involvement of any student of the university in the assault.

"I was saddened to hear the allegations," he said in a conversation with The Daily Star. "What Professor Anu Muhammad said against me yesterday is completely false."

"I never said that no assault occurred on Pahela Baishakh... I said if 10 percent of the news published in the media about sexual assault was true, then it would be very condemnable and embarrassing."

He added, "I said I didn't want to believe that any Dhaka University student could do such a thing. If it is proved that any student of our university is involved in the molestation, our authorities will punish the perpetrator."

Addressing a rally of Bangladesh Chhatra Union at DU on Monday, Anu Muhammad, professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, raised the allegations and said the DU administration and police wanted to save the molesters.