Rajshahi University (RU) Professor Dr AKM Shafiul Islam, who was brutally killed yesterday, had a longstanding suspicion that Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir men might assault him physically.
The professor of sociology at RU who has always been vocal against Jamaat-Shibir’s activities on campus, shared his notion several times over the last eight years with his family members, relatives and close associates, one of his relatives told the Dhaka Tribune.
Prof Shaiful was known as a progressive and secular-minded teacher, who played a significant role in protesting the gruesome killing of RU geology Professor Dr S Taher Ahmed in 2006.
Jamaat-Shibir men and pro-BNP-Jamaat teachers were largely blamed for Taher’s killing. Two years before that, another progressive and secular-minded teacher Prof Muhammad Yunus was killed. The radical and communal groups were largely suspected for that killing too.
Just like Chittagong University (CU), RU has come to be known as a den of the Jamaat-Shibir. The manner in which these three RU teachers had been killed were almost identical. They were all brutally hacked to death.
Family members, relatives and colleagues, who knew him closely, have said he was a good soul.
Shafiul, an ardent follower of Bangla folk music traditions especially Baul, led a very simple life. His colleagues confirmed that he had been researching on 19th century Baul legend Lalon Shah over the last one year.
His wife died many years ago and he used to live with his only son at their RU campus residence.
However, after his son got admitted to the Dhaka University and moved away to the capital, he shifted to a rented house in the Chouddopai area.
The rent was lesser than the university teachers’ quarters.
The Chouddopai area, which is very close to the university campus, is dominated by Jamaat-Shibir, locals say.
Yesterday, most of Shafiul’s colleagues were not willing to talk about the sensitive issues out of fear and shock at his tragic demise.
A colleague said Shafiul was going back home around 2:30pm, when he was brutally hacked in broad daylight by a group of assailants right in the middle of the road.
Many of his colleagues strongly believe that it was a planned murder, although the police was still in the dark about the motive or the killers until the filing of this report at 10:30pm yesterday.
His colleagues and relatives said it was beyond their imagination that Shafiul might have such dreadful enemies.
Md Rafiqul Bari Mukul, Shafiul’s brother-in-law told the Dhaka Tribune: “He [Prof Shafiul] was engaged in research on Lalon for more than a year. He was away from other activities of the university except academic work. But, two years ago he told me about his suspicion that Jamaat-Shibir men followed him.”
Mukul said: “He told me that if he faced any brutal consequence like the others [Prof Taher and Prof Yunus], then be sure that Jamaat and Shibir were behind it.”
Prof Shafiul started wearing the traditional Baul attire – the long white gown that Lalon and his followers wear – after he began his research.
Mukul said: “I have told Prof Shafiul that Jamaat-Shibir do not like Lalon or Baul songs. So, they might not like you for wearing the dress.”
His suspicion about getting attacked by the fanatics deepened after the killing of Prof Taher in 2006, at least that is what he had told his family and relatives.
He often had heated debates with the pro-Jamaat teachers of the university over various issues.
Several years ago, in order to check cheating during examinations, the sociology department decided not to allow any female student in burqa, the Islamic veil. Prof Shafiul was a key figure behind implementing that decision.
That ignited many heated debates between the professor and pro-Jamaat teachers.
Many in Rajshahi suspect that it was a big reason why Shafiul could have become an enemy of the Jamaat-Shibir.
In 2008, a Rajshahi tribunal sentenced Dr Mia Mohmmad Mohiuddin, also a teacher of the university, and one other in connection with the 2006 killing of Prof Taher. In 2013, that sentence was upheld by the High Court. Both convicts are now in jail.
