Rabindra Univ Agitation: Closure no solution
Students say they want permanent removal of teacher Farhana
Although Rabindra University in Sirajganj's Shahjadpur has been closed for an indefinite period and teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten suspended, aggrieved students continued their demonstrations seeking her permanent expulsion.
They confined the acting vice chancellor and several officials to the university's administrative building yesterday to press home their demand.
"Closing the university is not the solution. We want her [Farhana's] permanent removal," one of the agitators, told The Daily Star.
Another student, Roksana Rafa of cultural heritage and Bangladesh studies department, said the university closed its academic and administrative activities to tame the demonstrations, but the move put the students in uncertainty.
"We wanted [Farhana's] expulsion, not the university's closure," she said.
On September 26, the teacher asked university employees to cut the hair of male students who had long hair before they are allowed to enter examination halls.
She then herself cut the hair of many students, said the agitators.
Unable to bear the humiliation, one of the students tried to die by suicide, sparking protests.
A probe committee later found proof that she had indeed cut the students' hair against their will.
"We examined the university's CCTV footage which clearly shows Farhana Yeasmin Baten cutting the students' hair," said Laila Fardous Himel, chairman of Rabindra Studies department and the head of the five-member probe committee.
Amid the student protest, Farhana announced stepping down as the head of the Department of History, Culture and Bangladesh Studies of the university.
On Thursday night, the university called an urgent meeting of its syndicate, which decided to close down the university for an indefinite period and suspended Farhana.
Yesterday, the students besieged the acting VC, Prof Abdul Latif, and university officials to the building for hours.
Contacted, Rawshon Alom, acting proctor, said, "Students are continuing their demonstrations because they don't seem to understand the reality.
"The university authorities called an urgent syndicate meeting and took action against the teacher. A probe committee has already been investigating the incident. After getting the probe report, the university will take further action. We urge the students to have patience."