Two assistant proctors of the University of Dhaka (DU) have stepped down from an investigation committee formed to look into allegations of sexual harassment and the creation of objectionable images using artificial intelligence (AI) at Udayan Higher Secondary School, an institution affiliated with the university.
They resigned after students expressed a lack of confidence in the committee’s impartiality. The school authorities have meanwhile decided to form a new investigation committee.
The two assistant proctors withdrew from the panel on Tuesday afternoon, the day students staged a protest on the school premises.
Dr Anamul Haque Sajib, one of the committee members and a DU assistant proctor, said the investigation report was almost ready. However, after students expressed no confidence in the committee, they decided to step down without submitting the report.
“We started working on the matter about a week before the Puja vacation. Initially, we planned to interview both sides. However, during the interviews, one student named five others. The number of students connected to the allegations kept increasing, making the matter increasingly complicated. As a result, preparing the investigation report took some time,” he said.
He added, “Our report was almost ready. We could have submitted it on Tuesday. But on Monday, the students informed the principal formally that they had no confidence in the investigation committee. If they do not trust the committee, they are unlikely to trust its report either. In this situation, I and another DU assistant proctor decided to withdraw from the panel. We submitted our resignation letters to the principal on Tuesday afternoon.”
Committee convener Md Abul Hossain Bepari said the investigation was 99% complete.
“However, as the students have expressed no confidence in the committee, we cannot submit the report. I cannot say at this stage what decision will be taken next. The school principal and the DU vice-chancellor will decide how to proceed,” he said.
Acting principal of the school, Muhammad Arifur Rahman, said students had informed him on Monday that they lacked confidence in the committee’s impartiality.
“I have always told them to inform me of any problem. They are like my own children, and I will look into the matter,” he said.
Asked why two teachers from the same faculty were included in the investigation committee even though the accused student's father is the acting dean of DU’s Faculty of Science, the principal said he had not considered which faculty the teachers belonged to.
“Honestly, it did not occur to me that they were from the same faculty. I included them with positive intentions. I wanted teachers from outside the school to conduct the investigation so that its own teachers could not be accused of bias,” he said.
The principal confirmed that the two assistant proctors had withdrawn from the committee and said a new panel would be formed. He added that the school planned to include teachers from other DU faculties to ensure the new committee's neutrality.
How the allegations emerged
A student of Class IX was accused of sexually harassing several female classmates, sending them obscene messages and using AI to manipulate their photographs into objectionable images.
The alleged victims said the student had been harassing them for a long time and had recently created and circulated objectionable images of them.
The students alleged that they received no remedy despite informing the school authorities.
On October 7, the accused student's father and two DU assistant proctors visited the school. The following day, 10 students were taken to separate rooms and asked to submit written statements.
The students also alleged that they were kept there for a prolonged period and that a mobile phone containing digital evidence supporting their complaints was taken away.
The protesting students claimed that they were initially barred from attending classes and examinations. Following protests by their guardians, arrangements were made for them to sit examinations in separate rooms, but they were not allowed to attend regular classes.
They said they had been deprived of normal academic activities for more than 25 days, including the Puja vacation. They also alleged that they had been threatened with transfer certificates if they continued their protests.