Of BCL audacity and a teacher's insecurity
It has been more than a month, a Chittagong University teacher could not go to the campus as he still feels insecure after being threatened by a faction of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
“I want to go to the campus but I cannot… I feel insecure after they threatened me at gunpoint at my office,” Amir Uddin, an associate professor of Institute of Education and Research, told The Daily Star on Thursday.
“I've informed the matter to the proctor in writing and also filed a general diary with Hathazari Police Station on November 5,” he said. “Neither the university authorities, nor the police have assured me of security.”
On November 5, introducing them as BCL activists and followers of the Chittagong City Corporation mayor, some youths allegedly threatened Amir at gunpoint for his activism against the CCC's holding tax reassessment programme.
The next day, a BCL faction led by president of the dissolved (on December 6) committee Alamgir Tipu submitted a memorandum to the vice chancellor, demanding the teacher's dismissal. On November 7, the BCL faction also vandalised the VC office to realise their demand.
When asked, Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, also the general secretary of Chittagong city unit Awami League, denied his involvement. “I'm not involved… I'm here in the city and the university is around 22km away.”
Amir is the general secretary of Chattagram Kardata Surokhya Parishad, a group created to protect the taxpayers of Chittagong.
The CCC on November 27 postponed the holding tax reassessment programme after the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives in a meeting the day before took the decision.
Contacted, Alamgir Tipu said as the teacher organised movements against the CCC mayor, they were also doing the same against him.
“Before organising a movement against a big leader, he [Amir] should have thought about the consequences,” said Tipu. “We have given the CU authorities a one-month ultimatum till December 15 to remove him.”
Tipu, however, claimed that they did not threaten Amir. “He spoke against the general secretary of Chittagong city unit… so we also protested loudly.”
Expressing concern, Prof Dr Moazzam Husain, general secretary of Chittagong University Teachers' Association, said it is the responsibility of the university authorities to ensure security of teachers, students and staff. “We demand the authorities take proper measures so that the teacher can attend academic activities.”
Meanwhile, general secretary of the dissolved committee of CU unit BCL Fazly Rabbi Sujan, a follower of president of Chittagong city unit AL ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, told The Daily Star that they had given a memorandum to the VC for ensuring security of the teacher. “We want our teacher to attend all the academic activities safely.”
He also criticised the faction that allegedly threatened the teacher. “Their activities tarnish the organisation's image…,” he said.
Contacted, Proctor Ali Asgar Chowdhury said it is not possible to provide security for Amir round-the-clock. “Besides, we do not know what type of security he wants.”
CU Registrar Kamrul Huda said he did not receive any written letter from Amir regarding security. “Had we got a letter from him, we would have taken initiatives as per university rules.” Amir, on the other hand, said he had sent a letter to the proctor and based on that, the university formed a probe committee.
When asked, Registrar Kamrul said the teacher got involved in something that is not related to the university. “So I don't want to make any comment about it.”
Contacted, Mashiuddaullah Reza, additional superintendent of police (Chittagong district north zone), said it is not possible to provide security for an individual for 24 hours. “If the teacher asks for security for a specific time, we will arrange that accordingly,” he said.