DU teacher fired over sexual abuse

The Dhaka University authorities yesterday sacked Prof Saiful Islam, chairman of theatre and performance studies department, for sexually harassing a female student.

The decision came from a DU syndicate meeting, with Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique in the chair.

“After reviewing reports on the allegations of sexual harassment against the teacher, the university syndicate found him guilty of committing the crime and decided to fire him,” the VC told The Daily Star.

Syndicate members said Prof Saiful was sacked for moral turpitude and this is the maximum punishment by the university to a teacher.

The DU suspended Prof Saiful on September 15 last year after some students of the department had sent a letter and some audio clips to the vice chancellor and the proctor, complaining that the teacher tried to sexually assault their female friend at his home on September 13.

In the letter, the aggrieved students said the department chair's office contacted her on September 8 regarding the answer script of her mid-term exam and told her to see the chairman.

The victim said the professor called her on September 10 and offered her help on condition that she would not disclose the matter to others.

The student informed a female teacher about the incident. Prof Saiful called her again on September 13 at 3:53pm and asked her to meet him at a house on the campus.

The victim said when she went there around 5:40pm, the teacher harassed her. She recorded her conversation with the teacher on her mobile phone.

ANOTHER ALLEGATION OF ABUSE

The DU authorities formed a five-member investigation committee to probe another allegation of sexual harassment against a teacher of applied mathematics department.

The move came after a female student of the geography department filed a complaint with the sexual harassment prevention committee against the teacher.