The High Court has issued a rule seeking to know why it should not order the dissolution and withdrawal of fact-finding, inquiry and investigation committees formed against more than 400 teachers of 22 public universities over allegations of secretly working for the Awami League to facilitate Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh.
The High Court bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakraborty and Justice Sk Tahsin Ali issued the rule on Monday, after hearing a preliminary petition filed by four Supreme Court lawyers.
The writ petition was filed by lawyers Chanchal Kumar Biswas, M Liton Ahmed, Rashedul Haque Khokon and Biplab Kumar Das.
They argued that the committees formed to take action against the teachers were beyond the authorities’ jurisdiction.
On August 4, an online news portal published a report titled “Secret activities of 404 teachers from 22 universities to bring Sheikh Hasina back”. The petitioners said the report, which they described as unverified, was subsequently used as the basis for taking various measures against the teachers.
They sought the dissolution of all fact-finding, inquiry and investigation committees formed against the teachers and the withdrawal of all subsequent measures taken against them. They filed the writ after their application seeking these measures was not disposed of.
The High Court also questioned why the committees and actions taken against the teachers based on the report, allegedly without lawful authority, should not be declared illegal and without legal effect.
The report alleged that 404 teachers from 22 public universities were secretly working to create an environment conducive to Sheikh Hasina’s return to Bangladesh on behalf of the Awami League, whose activities have been banned.
It claimed that the activities were coordinated through a secret Telegram group called “Bangladesh Public University Progressive Teachers Society”.
According to the report, Professor Dr M Wahiduzzaman of Dhaka University’s Department of Educational Administration was the group’s president, while Professor Dr Md Mahbubur Rahman of Islamic University’s Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering was its general secretary.
The report said Asia Post obtained 28 pages of screenshots from the group and identified 404 names. Some members allegedly used code names, while the mobile numbers of another 21 people were also found.
The report further claimed that members regularly held meetings through Telegram and other technological platforms.