Awami League lawmaker from Rajshahi-1 Omar Faruk Chowdhury and the principal of Rajabari Degree College Selim Reza both have trashed the media reports on the assault on the principal by the MP.
They held a press conference in the city on Thursday after different newspapers ran reports on the incident, sparking criticism across the country.
The press conference was held at the political office of MP Omar Faruk Chowdhury in Rajshahi city in presence of Principal Selim Reza and Abdul Awal Raju, principal of Matikata Degree College.
Selim Reza said: “Abdul Awal had called me to visit MP Faruk’s office on July 7 where I also found seven other principals and vice-principals of different colleges. Later an altercation began among us over forming a principal forum committee and other internal issues.”
The tension was created due to a comment made by Principal Selim about the formation of the committee and income and expenditure. During the scuffle, Selim Reza was pushed and he fell down, as the MP was trying to stop the scuffle he fell along with Selim.
“MP Omar Faruk had to intervene to stop us, nothing else happened that day,” he said.
MP Omar Faruk said a syndicate provided false information to create issues and different media presented distorted versions of the incident of the clash among the college teachers.
“I am politically and socially humiliated,” he said strongly criticizing the talk show of a private TV channel and the statement of Asaduzzaman Asad, former general secretary of Rajshahi District Awami League.
“I mainly called them to exchange Eid greetings but they locked into an argument and Principals Selim and Abdul Awal attacked each other which I had to stop,” he added.
Principal Selim said: “A person disguised as a journalist entered my house by pretending to be a member of the intelligence agency, I provoked to complain and take pictures. I didn't take pictures. I have not made any complaints or comments.”
The ruling party lawmaker allegedly physically assaulted Principal Selim on Tuesday, according to different media reports.
Later, National University formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident on Wednesday.
A notification signed by Ataur Rahman, director of the Public Relations Department of the National University has asked to inspect the spot and submit an investigation report immediately.