RU, DU protest teacher's killing
Teachers and students of Dhaka University and Rajshahi University (RU) today staged protests demanding immediate capture of RU sociology teacher AKM Shafiul Islam’s killers.
The teachers voiced for their colleagues’ security while DU students issued a 24-hour ultimatum to catch the killers threatening to wage tougher movements otherwise.
Meanwhile, 20 people, including one affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami, were detained for the murder as the government assured that those responsible were being hunted down.
A case has been filed this night in connection with the murder, our RU correspondent reports.
RU sociology faculty Shafiul Islam, 48, was hacked dead by unidentified assailants near his house in Choddopai area on the outskirts of the Rajshahi yesterday afternoon.
A fanatic group, under the name of Mujahideen fi Sabilillah, claimed responsibility of the murder on a Facebook post, however, no officials commented on the matter.
20 HELD, GOVT ASSURES PROMPT ACTION
Law enforcers rounded up at least 20 people till 9:00pm suspecting their link with the killing.
Two persons, Naimul Islam and Tipu, were held from Choddopai area adjacent to the victim’s house yesterday, hours after the murder.
Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station, said they were suspects.
Rest of the detainees, including Humayun Ahmed, principal of Islamia College, and two other teachers of his institution, were held on suspicion today, our Rajshahi and RU correspondents report.
According to Deputy Commissioner AKM Nahidul Hasan, Humayun was a coordinator between Jamaat and its student affiliate Islami Chhatra Shibir.
Junior Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, while talking to reporters at his secretariat office this afternoon, said intelligence agencies were already hunting down those responsible for the murder. “It is to be seen whether the killing was motivated from politics.”
DU, RU TEACHERS AND STUDENTS DEMO
Teachers of RU under banner Teachers Association of Rajshahi University staged demonstration at campus this morning condemning the murder and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
“We are insecure at campus. Such killings will rise if the perpetrators are not brought to book,” Kamrul Hasan Mazumdar, president of the teachers’ group said from a procession that paraded through the university premises.
In a meeting this night, the teachers decided to boycott all classes and examinations on Monday and Tuesday to press home their demand, said Pranab Kumar Pande, general secretary of the teachers’ group.
RU students wielding banners of Progressive Student Alliance, Bangladesh Chhatra League and Sammilito Sangskritik Jote brought out separate processions bearing black badges.
At Dhaka University, teachers and students of Mass Communication and Journalism and other departments issued the 24-hour ultimatum pressing for the killers’ arrest. They threatened of tougher actions if the government fails to do so.
“DU teacher Humayun Azad met his tragic end hacked by miscreants in campus premises. He was killed because of his progressive mentality, Shafiul was also killed on the same grounds,” said Rubaiyat Ferdous, associate professor of DUMCJ.
“Such killings will increase if the culprits are not punished exemplarily,” he said.
A human chain was formed in condemnation of the killing at TSC intersection this morning.
SHAFIUL TO BE BURIED IN GAIBANDHA
While talking to our correspondent this morning, victim’s son Soumin Shahrid Javin said his father would be buried at their family graveyard at Hiyatpur village in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha today.
His first namaj-e-janaza was held at central mosque of RU around 9:00pm yesterday.
Soon after the murder yesterday, RU teachers and students burst into protests from last night. Hundreds of students from sociology department barricaded the Rajshahi-Dhaka highway for half an hour since 6:00pm yesterday.
Comments