Hasnat never friendly with his students

He was even given a warning by the university authorities for not being punctual, an official said. In 2013, Hasnat and three other teachers of the university were asked to resign because of their involvement with banned militant outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir, an international organisation that aims to establish the caliphate. Hasnat was then working as a part-time teacher. He left his full-time job at the university in 2012 and asked for a release order saying he wanted to concentrate on the family business, an engineering firm, but continued till the spring semester of 2013. Belal Ahmed, deputy director of NSU’s public relations department, yesterday said the authorities had not informed the police about the NSU teachers asked to resign because it was not considered necessary. Hasnat joined NSU in 2008. He was among the 34 people who survived the terror attack at an upscale restaurant in the Gulshan diplomatic zone where at least 20 people, mostly foreigners, were killed on July 1. Two police officers outside the restaurant were also killed by the militants. Hasnat was shown arrested in the case on Thursday for his suspicious role during the hostage crisis. He was later remanded for eight days. Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, a former student said: “In 2011, I took an MIS course that he [Hasnat Karim] used to teach. He was an introvert and was never friendly with his pupils. “He appeared to be a moderate Muslim and prayed in his own room. There were no signs of his being a radical extremist.” Another student said Hasnat had never been a responsible teacher. He did not guide his students properly, the student said, asking not to be named. A former BBA student who took Hasnat’s finance course said: “He had a bizarre personality. He could not even explain simple mathematics in class. He used to bring notes and explain them. I think most students wanted to not take his courses.” Even though one of the Gulshan attackers – Nibras Islam – was a former NSU student, detectives have not found evidence that Hasnat had any involvement with him. The former students that the Dhaka Tribune reached yesterday were not familiar with Nibras.