Formulate policy against sexual harassment in universities

Justice Mohammad Golam Rabbani speaks at a view exchange meeting on 'Formulation of a draft policy to stop sexual harassment in universities' at Cirdap auditorium in the city yesterday. On his left is Bangladesh Mahila Parishad President Ayesha Khanam and on his right is Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a discussion yesterday said in absence of a specific provision to punish the perpetrators of sexual harassment in the university acts and proctorial laws, the students are being exploited and harassed by some teachers.
At the discussion organised by Bangladesh Mahila Parishad (BMP) at Cirdap auditorium in the city, they said it is the time to formulate a policy against sexual harassment in the universities and incorporate it in the university proctorial laws.
It must be ensured that misdeeds of a number of teachers in the universities be tried so that integrity of the teacher community is not called in question.
BMP has prepared a draft policy to resist sexual harassment in the highest educational institutions based on detailed interviews with the students and teachers of the universities.
The policy aimed at recognising sexual harassment as a punishable crime, creating a sense of security among the victims and reliance on justice and creating an environment where everybody would be aware of the punishment of such crime and would refrain themselves from making such crime.
The speakers said the policy would create a space to file complaints against the perpetrators on behalf of the students. It would also facilitate punishment to the criminal through administrative action.
The draft policy specifies sexual harassment, formation and working procedure of the cell where the students will be able to file their complaints, punishment according to the severity of crime that starts from verbal cautionary to job termination and filing cases in the court.
“Our movement is not against a particular teacher or teacher community, rather it is the movement against the ailing culture that might engulf the whole society if not resisted,” said BMP President Ayesha Khanam.
The recommendations from the discussion would be included in the policy that finally would be submitted to the vice chancellors of the universities as well as the caretaker government to stop sexual harassment in the educational institutions, she added.
Speaking as the chief guest, Justice Mohammad Golam Rabbani said the policy would work as an appendix of the proctorial law, adding that it would help in reducing sexual harassment of the students in the universities.
A significant number of teachers of Dhaka, Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar universities placed their recommendations at the discussion.
The teachers said if a teacher who would be punished by the university administration and then he goes to the court, the university must stand in favour of the student and it must be ensured that the teacher is not getting exemption from the administrative and political interference.
“The policy must be incorporated in the syndicate and proctorial policy, otherwise it would not be an effective one,” said Dr Maleka Begum, adding that at the same time the issue of sexual harassment of the students should be discussed in the syndicate meetings.
“If the university authorities come forward, it is possible to turn the policy into an act through the syndicates,” said Dr Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, adding, “Let us the policy to resist sexual harassment of the students start its work from the universities and gradually it should be incorporated in other educational institutions.”
Prof Anu Mohammad of Jahangirnagar University said it is important to revise the proctorial law as it is backdated.
Barrister Tania Amir, Prof Mehtab Khanam and Sourav Sikder of Dhaka University, Anisuzzaman, Dr Anisur Rahman of Rajshahi University, Prof Sonia Nishat Amin and Bangladesh Mahila Parishad General Secretary advocate Masuda Rehana Begum also spoke.