Students and teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) yesterday continued protesting for a second consecutive day, boycotting classes and examinations and forming a human chain, to demand the arrest of Professor AKM Shafiul Islam Lilon’s murderers.
“No classes or exams were held and the protest will continue,” Pronob Kumar Pandey, general secretary of RU teachers’ association, said.
Teachers held a human chain in front of the senate building around 10am armed with banners and placards.
Professor Mohammad Mizanuddin, vice-chancellor of the university, addressed the rally, saying: “Two professors of the university were killed before this but their trials have not been held yet. If the trials were held then this killing might not have happened.”
“Some anti-Liberation War forces have targeted Rajshahi as a zone of operations,” he said.
If the killer is not identified and punished, such killings would continue, he added.
Professor Malay Bhowmick said: “We have learned that a Facebook page named ‘Ansar al Islam Bangladesh’ has taken responsibility for the killing but one must remember that the root of this fanaticism is Jamaat-e-Islam.”
“Basically, the so-called Islamic groups give birth to fanatic fringe groups, that is the reality and nothing else,” Bhowmick said.
Soon after the end of the teachers’ rally, another human chain by the department of sociology and joined by faculty members of other departments was formed at Paris road. They too demanded the perpetrators be punished.
Shirajul Islam, associate proctor and associate professor of sociology, said: “We have all came together on one platform to demand the killers be brought to book.”
Mithu Biswash, a student of sociology, said: “We are astounded and feel helpless after the gruesome killing of our professor. We hope the administration will take action. The killer must be punished so no more teachers are at risk.”
“Our teacher was very cordial with us and was a beloved person. We do not understand why the killers took his life,” Mithu said.
Kamrul Islam Majumder, president of the RU teachers’ association, said: “An ultimatum of 15 days has been given to the administration to ensure the arrest and punishment of the killers.”
“If a trial is not held within this time, then a tougher movement will be launched,” he said.
The Rajshahi University unit of the Bangladesh Chhatra League blockaded a section of the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway around 12pm for 20 minutes demanding the punishment of the killers of Shafiul. They later brought out a procession along different main roads of the campus.
On Saturday, around 2:30pm, armed assailants hacked RU Professor Shafiul Islam Lilon to death in broad daylight.
He succumbed to his injuries while being treated at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) at 4:45pm that day.
The university registrar, Professor M Entajul Haque, filed a case with Motihar police station on Sunday night.
Alamgir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Motihar police station, said the plaintiff filed the case against unidentified persons.