DU teachers’ group condemns, protest over humiliation of CU lecturer

A teachers’ group at the University of Dhaka (DU) has expressed deep concern over the public humiliation of a Chittagong University (CU) lecturer and demanded swift, impartial investigation and legal action against those responsible.

In a statement issued late Sunday night (January 11), the Dhaka University-based White Panel condemned the alleged harassment of Hasan Mohammad, an assistant professor in the law department at Chittagong University. The statement was signed by the group’s convener, Professor Dr. Md Morshed Hasan Khan, and joint conveners Professors Dr. Abdus Salam and Dr. Md Abul Kalam Sarkar.

The group said that publicly insulting, intimidating or physically harassing a university teacher creates an atmosphere of insecurity on campuses. Any allegation against a teacher, it said, must be addressed strictly through legal and administrative procedures, stressing that “mob justice” cannot be an acceptable means of resolving disputes.

Calling for immediate and neutral investigations, the White Panel warned that similar incidents have occurred in recent months at Rajshahi University, the University of Dhaka and other institutions, posing a serious threat to the academic environment. It noted a resurgence of mob culture and harassment of teachers across campuses over the past three to four months, describing the trend as alarming.

The group strongly condemned what it termed aggressive acts and said taking the law into one’s own hands is a punishable offence.

The statement also urged the authorities to take swift legal and administrative action against individuals who, it alleged, publicly opposed the July 2024 movement and threatened or harassed protesting students at the time. At the same time, it called for safeguards to ensure that innocent individuals are not harassed because of differing opinions.

The White Panel stressed that those genuinely responsible for wrongdoing must not remain beyond the reach of justice.