BCL threat keeps CU teacher off campus
It all started in early November last year when the movement organised by Chattagram Kordata Surokkha Parishad (CKSP) reached its peak.
CKSP was formed earlier to protect taxpayers of Chittagong after the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) decided to reassess tax for holdings in the city.
On November 5, Amir Uddin -- general secretary of CKSP and an associate professor at Institute of Education and Research of Chittagong University (CU) -- received threats from “a group of gun-toting youths” in his room on the CU campus.
The youths introduced themselves as activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and followers of CCC Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, alleged Amir.
He also said that they asked him to discontinue the movement of the taxpayers or be prepared to face fatal consequences.
Soon afterwards, Amir informed the CU proctor of the threat and filed a general diary with Hathazari Police Station.
However, the next day, on November 6, a faction of CU BCL led by Alamgir Tipu -- who is a follower of Nasir and president of a dissolved committee of BCL's CU unit -- submitted a memorandum to the vice chancellor of the university, demanding removal of Amir from his CU post as his appointment was made “violating CU rules”.
Petrified with fear, Amir Uddin has stayed away from the campus till date.
The taxpayers' movement that CKSP had waged, however, saw an end on November 27 when the CCC postponed its holding tax reassessment programme following a decision taken in this regard the day before (on November 26) by the local government, rural development and cooperatives ministry.
Speaking with The Daily Star on his situation, Amir said, “I want to go to the campus, but I can't due to security reasons... Neither the police nor the university authorities are giving me any assurance of my security.”
In a letter dated February 4, Amir appealed for his security on campus to the CU authorities.
Confirming the receipt of Amir's letter, Nur Ahmed, acting registrar of CU, said the letter was forwarded to the vice chancellor with a note for taking necessary measures.
Despite several phone calls, CU VC Prof Iftkher Uddin Chowhdury could not be reached for comments over Amir's security concern.
Contacted, CCC Mayor Nasir said he was not involved with the incident on the CU campus.
BCL faction leader Alamgir Tipu denied of issuing any threat to Amir. “We only have been making a demand to the CU authorities for his [Amir] removal through a democratic movement as the teacher's [Amir's] appointment at CU was made through rules violations.”
Refuting Alamagir's claim, Prof Dr Moazzam Husain, general secretary of Chittagong University Teachers' Association, said, “Amir has been appointed as per the CU act… the CU syndicate approved the appointment... it is absolutely unacceptable if anyone demands his removal.”
“If any teacher is accused with misconduct, the CU authorities will make a decision about it. All the while he [Amir] had been working, he delivered classes regularly and no allegation of misconduct was raised against him. So, in my opinion, the demand for his removal is totally unacceptable.”
“I urge the authorities to take necessary steps to ensure his security on the campus,” Prof Dr Moazzam added.
Fazly Rabbi Sujan, general secretary of the dissolved committee of CU BCL and follower of Chittagong city unit AL's former president late ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, said the authorities need to take responsibility of Amir's security.
“He [Amir] has been teaching in the university for five years; no allegation was raised against him before. But when he was organising the movement against CCC's holding tax reassessment programme, a vested quarter started demanding his removal,” he said.When contacted, Mashiuddaullah Reza, additional superintendent of police (Chittagong district north zone), said they were uncertain of the type of security the teacher was seeking.