Outsiders assault 7 teachers, staff: Fresh agitation for VC's removal
The situation of Pabna University of Science and Technology has worsened further, as the agitating workers and employees demanded removal of the vice chancellor while outsiders allegedly belonging to the ruling party assaulted seven teachers and officers of the institution yesterday.
The attackers also forced the teaching staff and officials to leave the university office at around 1:00pm, official sources said.
“We were busy with official work at the university administrative building when 30 to 35 people entered the rooms and assaulted us in front of the police,” Rahidul Islam Rahid, assistant proctor of the university, said.
Assistant proctors Md Fazlul Haque, Mahmudul Hassan, Tanvir Haidar and Rahidul Islam Rahid, and Shahan Shah, deputy director of finance, Sohrab Hossain, deputy controller of examinations, and Md Kamruzzaman, lab assistant, were injured by the attackers, he said.
The attackers are men of Chhatra League and Jubo League, said Dr Abdul Alim, chairman of Bangla department of the university.
Sub inspector Md Amirul Islam of Pabna police station said that a few policemen deployed on the campus became helpless when the outsiders belonging to the ruling party hurriedly entered there.
Asked about the matter, Ahmed Sharif Dablu, president of Pabna district unit of Chhatra League, said, "Chhatra League and Jubo League men did not assault the teachers and officers of the university. The university authorities are trying to create confusion by blaming the ruling party men for agitation by workers and employees.”
The workers and employees of Pabna University of Science and Technology started indefinite work abstention from Tuesday protesting assault of an employee of the university.
“Five representatives of workers and employees went to talk with the vice chancellor at his office at about 10:00am today [Wednesday] demanding justice for assault of a staff. We also demanded removal of the proctor and assistant proctors and urged the authorities to meet our seven-point demand. But the vice chancellor threatened to terminate the job of agitating workers,” said Md Sohag Hossain, a computer operator.
The aggrieved workers and employees then left the university and blocked nearby Abdul Hamid Road and formed a human chain there demanding removal of the vice chancellor. They also held a protest meeting in front of Pabna Press Club where they blamed the vice chancellor for what they said huge corruption and nepotism.
Meanwhile, labour affairs secretary of district unit of Awami League Sardar Mithu Ahmed yesterday said, “We have extended our support for the workers and employees of the university to establish their legal demands.”
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