Probe unrest at RU during emergency

Teachers, students demand

3 August 2009, 17:00 PM

RU Correspondent

Teachers of Rajshahi University and different student bodies, including Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) RU unit, have urged the government to investigate the violence on the university campus on August 22, 2007. They also congratulated the parliamentary standing committee on the education ministry as it decided to investigate the violence involving army personnel and students at Dhaka University during the last caretaker government rule. The standing committee at a meeting on Sunday decided to investigate the DU violence that broke out on August 20, 2007. The student unrest later swept through other educational institutions including RU. In a statement yesterday, the RU teachers urged the parliamentary standing committee to investigate the unrest on the campus on August 22, 2007. They also demanded proper investigation into the matter as the caretaker government filed 'false' cases against Prof Saidur Rahman Khan, Prof Abdus Sobhan, Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan Sajal, Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu. Prof Moloy Bhoumik, Associate Prof Dulal Chandra Biswas, Associate Prof Sayed Selim Reza Newton and Assistant Prof Abdullah Al Mamun of Rajshahi University. Following the violence, the caretaker government arrested the teachers and tortured them at Joint Interrogation Cell, they alleged in the statement. On August 23, 2007, RU acting registrar Prof Muhammad Shafi filed a case against RU BCL General Secretary Ayeen Uddin and 500 other unnamed students for their alleged involvement in the campus violence on August 22. The BCL RU unit and other student bodies also demanded proper investigation into the campus violence.