HC issues rule over probe against over 400 university teachers

The High Court has issued a rule asking why fact-finding, inquiry and investigation committees formed against more than 400 teachers at 22 public universities should not be dissolved and withdrawn over allegations that they were secretly working on behalf of the banned Awami League to facilitate former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh.

The bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice Sheikh Tahsin Ali issued the rule on Monday (September 21) after hearing a preliminary writ petition filed by four Supreme Court lawyers.

The writ was filed by lawyers Chanchal Kumar Biswas, M Liton Ahmed, Rashedul Haque Khokon and Biplab Kumar Das. The petitioners argued that the relevant authorities had no legal jurisdiction to form such committees to take action against the teachers.

The petition stated that an online news portal published a report on August 4 titled “Secret activities of 404 teachers from 22 universities to bring Sheikh Hasina back.” The petitioners claimed that various fact-finding and investigation committees were subsequently formed against more than 400 teachers at 22 public universities based on the report.

They said they had applied to the relevant authorities seeking dissolution of all fact-finding, inquiry and investigation committees formed on the basis of what they described as an “unverified” report, as well as withdrawal of all subsequent measures taken against the teachers. They approached the High Court after their application was not disposed of.

In its rule, the High Court also asked why the committees formed against the teachers based on the report should not be declared to have been established without lawful authority, and why the committees and the actions taken on their basis should not be declared illegal and without legal effect. The court further asked why directions should not be issued for the dissolution and withdrawal of the committees.

The online report alleged that 404 teachers from 22 public universities were secretly working on behalf of the banned Awami League to create an environment conducive to Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh. It also claimed that the activities were coordinated through a secret group on the messaging platform Telegram.

The report referred to a Telegram group named “Bangladesh Public University Progressive Teachers Society” and claimed that it had identified 404 individuals associated with the group. The allegations have been disputed by the teachers’ platform, which previously called for investigations and disciplinary proceedings against the teachers to be halted.

The High Court’s rule concerns the legality of the committees and subsequent actions taken against the teachers; it does not itself establish the truth of the allegations contained in the original report.