HC stays suspension of Dhaka University teacher Reazul

The High Court today stayed the suspension of Dhaka University’s teacher Prof Md Reazul Haque for six months clearing the way for his discharging his duties.

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of DU to explain in four weeks why their decision to suspend Prof Reazul Haque without assigning any reason should not be declared illegal.

DU’s vice chancellor, its two pro vice chancellors, registrar, dean of its social science unit and chairman of its development studies department have been made respondents to the rule.   

The HC bench of Justice Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and Justice Mohammad Ullah came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed by Reazul, teacher of the department of development studies of DU, challenging the legality of the suspension order.

Reazul Haque, was reportedly suspended following allegations of showing “obscene material” in one of his classes.

Yesterday Reazul’s lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua told The Daily Star that the Syndicate of DU decided to suspend his client on February 27 and the registrar of the university sent a letter to him to this effect on March 7 without mentioning any reason.

There is no scope for the syndicate to suspend a teacher without any reason under the Dhaka University Ordinance and Regulation 1977, he said, adding that a committee has to be formed to enquire into any allegation against a teacher and the committee has to issue a show cause notice for suspending a teacher.

These provisions were not followed in suspending Prof Reazul, the lawyer added.