DU teacher held on charge of assaulting wife sent to jail

The Dhaka University teacher who was arrested Thursday night on charge of assaulting his wife was sent to the Dhaka Central Jail yesterday.

Mohammad Ferdous Hossain was produced before the CMM's Court yesterday noon. He has been charged under Women and Children Repression Prevention Act of 1995 which does not allow the court to grant the accused bail within 60 days.

Ferdous, also the house tutor of Sir AF Rahman Hall of the university, was re-elected general secretary of Dhaka University Teachers' Association with ticket from opposition BNP-backed "White Panel".

The magistrate rejected the bail prayer He was earlier arrested from his campus residence Thursday night.

His brother-in-law Khaled Mahmud filed the case against Ferdous. Ferdous was accused of assaulting his wife, Shelly, for her refusal to pay Tk 5 lakh as dowry.

Talking to court reporters yesterday, Ferdous did not deny beating up his wife, but refuted the charges that it was for dowry.

"It's nothing serious... It's simply a family affair," he said.

Teachers belonging to the ruling Awami League-backed Blue Panel said last night that the incident "tarnished" the image of the university.

"We are really ashamed of it and would like not to speak (about the incident)," said Prof. M Shahadat Ali, pro vice-chancellor of the university.

"It is surprising and unbelievable," reacted Prof. Kazi Shahidullah, Dean of the Arts Faculty.

Ayesha Siddiqua Shelly, second wife of Ferdous, however, did not comment on the issue.

Khaleed Mahmud also sent a letter to the university authorities and the DUTA leaders requesting them to take necessary steps against the Ferdous, sources added.

The "White Panel" teachers expressed their surprise at the role of university authorities on the issue and said they suspect political reasons had something to do with the incident.

They also met the vice-chancellor Prof. AK Azad Chowdhury and requested him to take initiative for the Ferdous's release, sources said.