Jahangirnagar University’s syndicate has imposed various punishments on 10 teachers and one official over their alleged involvement in attacks and other incidents during the July 2024 anti-discrimination student movement.
The decisions were announced by Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan after a marathon syndicate meeting that ended around 5am on Sunday.
According to the vice-chancellor, Associate Professor Mehedi Iqbal of the Department of Geography and Environment has been given compulsory retirement.
Among other punishments, the salary of Professor Israfil Ahmed of the Department of Drama and Dramatics has been reduced to the starting scale of his current grade, while Assistant Professor Mohibur Rauf Shaibal of the same department has been demoted to lecturer.
Professor Nazmul Hossain Talukder of the Bangla Department and Lecturer Kanan Kumar Sen of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems have had their annual increments suspended for two years.
Former Proctor Professor Alamgir Kabir’s salary has been reduced to the starting scale of his current grade, and he has been barred from holding administrative responsibilities for five years. Professor AA Mamun of the Physics Department has been warned and similarly barred from administrative duties for five years.
Associate Professor ASM Firoz-ul-Hasan and Professor Bashir Ahmed of the Government and Politics Department, Professor Tajuddin Sikder of the Public Health and Informatics Department, and former Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Mohammad Mustafa Firoz also received salary reductions and restrictions on holding administrative posts for five years. Some of them will be eligible to apply for promotion after two years.
Professor Hosne Ara of the History Department was issued a warning.
The syndicate cleared seven teachers and one official of all allegations. Those exonerated include Assistant Professor Palash Saha of the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Professor Shafi Mohammad Tarek of the Environmental Sciences Department, Professor Zahirul Islam Khondoker of the Physics Department, Professor Mohammad Sayedur Rahman and Associate Professor Monir Uddin Sikder of the Public Administration Department, Professor Mohammad Jahangir Alam of the Economics Department and Professor Anwar Khasru Parvez of the Microbiology Department.
Among the officials, Assistant Registrar Rajib Chakraborty was cleared of the allegations. Deputy Registrar Nahidur Rahman Khan was demoted to assistant registrar and will be eligible to seek promotion again after two years.
The vice-chancellor said separate inquiry committees would be formed to investigate the roles of former vice-chancellor Prof Md Nurul Alam, former pro-vice-chancellor (Administration) Prof Manjurul Islam and former treasurer Prof Rashed Akhtar.
He said the decisions were taken following a detailed review of investigation reports and multiple hearings concerning incidents that took place on July 14, 15 and 17, 2024.
Sentences of Chhatra League activists revised
The university administration also reviewed appeals filed by several students punished over attacks during the July movement.
According to the vice-chancellor, the punishments of 43 students were reconsidered.
Of the 21 students who had been permanently expelled, five were fully acquitted. The expulsions of eight students were reduced to two years, and five others to one year.
Of eight students previously given two-year expulsions, six were acquitted. Among 12 students whose academic certificates had been withheld, five were acquitted, four had the suspension period reduced to one year, and three retained their original two-year penalties.
Of two students who had been temporarily suspended, one was acquitted while the other's punishment was upheld.
The remaining disciplinary measures remain unchanged, the vice-chancellor added.