Duta accuses govt of breaking promises

Leaders of Dhaka University Teachers' Association (Duta) yesterday accused the government of breaking its promise to release the detained teachers and students of the university.
"We had postponed our protest programme when the government promised to release the (detained) teachers and students within 15 days. We've kept our promise, but the government has failed to do so," Duta executive member Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique told the news agency.
On December 9, the government took 15 days' time to finalise the process of releasing the four DU teachers and nine students arrested following the August 20-22 campus violence.
The Duta executive committee meeting had postponed its work abstention programme, scheduled for December 10, following phone calls from Education Adviser Ayub Quadri to the Duta leaders that the teachers and students would be released within 15 days that expired on December 23.
But the teachers are unlikely to be released soon as the hearing of a case against them was yesterday deferred to December 31.
Arefin Siddique said, "The government has lost its credibility and acceptability to hundreds of thousands of teachers and students throughout the country by not respecting its own commitment."
He said all the DU teachers and students are now in deep frustration for such an incident. "The outcome of frustration is never good for the country," Arefin said.
About the role of the DU vice chancellor (VC), the Duta leader said the VC has repeatedly assured them that the government would release the teachers soon. "But we're not seeing reflection of the assurances."
Arefin said they are still hopeful about the release of the teachers and students. "We want a congenial atmosphere at the country's public universities."
Duta acting President Prof Tajmeri S Islam said, "I and my colleagues have become extremely disappointed by government's behaviour."
She said the government had told the Duta leaders that the detained teachers and students would be released through a "respectful and acceptable" process.
"But now I'm in confusion what the government actually wants to say by using such words--respectful and acceptable," Tajmeri said.
She said the teachers' association will call a meeting very soon to take further steps seeking release of the DU teachers and students.