Ex-teacher of Holy Family Medical College charged over sexual harassment

Ramna police yesterday pressed charges against Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College's suspended assistant professor Dr Salauddin Chowdhury in a case filed over sexual harassment.

Sub-Inspector of Ramna Police Station Salman Rahman, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, showing six people as prosecution witnesses.

The teacher was sent to jail on December 30 last year after a court rejected both his remand and bail prayers in the case.

Later on January 13, the teacher was granted ad-interim bail in the case.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on December 29 last year arrested Dr Salauddin after a student filed a case against him with Ramna Police Station under the Women and Child Repression Prevention Act.

According to the prosecution, it was alleged that Salauddin had made several inappropriate propositions to the student via Facebook messenger -- starting from September 9, 2020. When she refused, the teacher threatened to fail her in exams.

When he met her on campus, he asked her to delete the messages and to meet him alone on several occasions. The teacher also threatened her, the case statement alleged.

Salauddin was later suspended from the post of assistant professor of the medical college's Pharmacology Department, over the allegation.