Why dismissal of DU teacher Wasel Bin Sadat not illegal: High Court

The High Court has issued a rule asking why the final dismissal order of Wasel Bin Sadat, teacher of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA) of Dhaka University (DU), on charges of sexual harassment of a female student should not be declared illegal.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Khizir Ahmed Chowdhury and Justice AFM Saiful Karim issued the rule after the preliminary hearing of the writ on Sunday. The concerned parties have been asked to reply to the rule within four weeks.

Advocate Murad Hossain conducted the hearing on behalf of the writ.

In August 2023 a female student of BRAC University alleged that she was sexually harassed in the room of Wasel Bin Sadat while submitting a research paper. At that time Wasel was serving as an external examiner of a course of BRAC University.

In the complaint the student mentioned that Professor Wasel was the supervisor of her thesis. When she went to meet him regarding the thesis on August 15 he started indecent behaviour with the student. The student also alleged that she was later harassed verbally and physically.

The complaint said the entire building was empty that day as academic activities were closed.

After the allegation the university authorities first suspended Wasel Bin Sadat temporarily. Later he was finally dismissed on August 4.

The writ was filed challenging the legality of that final dismissal order. After its preliminary hearing the High Court issued the rule on Sunday.