RU professor forced to retire over ‘sexual harassment’

The Rajshahi University authorities have sent a senior professor on forced retirement on charge of "sexually harassing" a female student.

Quamrul Hasan Mazumder, teacher of geology and mining, was also then president of Rajshahi University Teachers' Association.

The decision came from a syndicate meeting on Thursday night, confirmed Vice Chancellor Prof Muhammad Mizanuddin.

Syndicate sources said the student of the university submitted a written complaint to the university authorities on October 21, 2014 accusing Prof Quamrul of sexually harassing her.

Later, on April 27 in 2015, a probe committee formed by the authorities recommended suspending the teacher as he was found guilty in the incident.

Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan asked the probe committee to re-investigate the matter when the recommendation was made.

Later, a four-member review committee, headed by Treasurer Prof Sayen Uddin Ahmed, was formed, which also found him guilty, syndicate sources said.

Prof Mahbuba Kaniz Keya, president of the Committee against Sexual Harassment and Repression, said the accused teacher had sent many objectionable proposals to the female student via SMS.

The accused teacher was not available for comments despite several attempts to contact him over cellphones.