Rangpur Deputy Commissioner Dr Chitralekha Nazneen has received criticism from people all over the district, and social media as she allegedly asked a professor of Begum Rokeya University to call her “sir.”
However, she has expressed her regret over the incident, as said: “I did not ask him to refer to me as sir, it was a misunderstanding.”
After the incident, Umar Farooq, associate professor of the Accounting and Information Systems Department held a sit-in protest outside the deputy commissioner's building with his daughter at around 7pm on Wednesday.
After his colleagues, and students got to know about the matter, they also joined the professor in the protest.
In this regard, Farooq said he went to Deputy Commissioner Chitralekha Nazneen's office on Wednesday around 6:30pm to talk about a school he has been managing for several years.
The professor claimed when he called Deputy Commissioner Nazneen “apa” or “sister” she asked him to call her “sir” instead.
The deputy commissioner allegedly also asked whether he would have used the term "sir" to address a male holding the same position as her, and the professor responded that he would have used "bhai" or "brother" in that case.
The professor also claimed that the deputy commissioner said he should have at least given respect to her position, and refer to her as “sir”.
After that, an argument broke out between the two. The professor immediately held a sit-in protest in front of the building with placards.
Later, at around 9:30pm, the DC went to the spot and expressed her regret over the incident.
Several students and teachers, including prof Asad Mondal, Dr Tuhin Wadud, and Apple Mahmud, expressed their dissatisfaction over the matter.
Professor Dr Tuhin Ahmed said: “Constitutionally and officially we are all employees of the government. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was also against calling people sir.”
He said they hoped the deputy commissioner would realize she is a servant of the government and not a master.
The teachers and students ended their protest after the deputy commissioner expressed her regrets over the incident.
Meanwhile, the incident has garnered the attention of the people in Rangpur and all over Bangladesh through social media. The photos of the protest went viral.
Dr Chitralekha Nazneen is the first ever woman deputy commissioner in Rangpur.
She served in various positions including Additional Deputy Commissioner in Natore, Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer in Chapainawabganj, and in Dhaka Deputy Commissioner's office and other places. She started her career in the administration cadre (24th BCS batch) in Manikganj district in 2005.