The Teachers' Association of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) has urged the government to force Vice Chancellor (VC) Saiful Islam to resign, if he does not resign willingly.
They issued a seven-point demand, including the demand for the VC's resignation, signed by the General Secretary of the Teachers' Association Prof Dr Md Mustafa Ali, on Thursday.
"The VC's negligent attitude towards violence on students, and his failure to take any action to ensure students' safety in Buet, only encouraged those who killed Abrar," the statement said.
"All these prove that the VC has lost his ethical values," the statement further said.
The association called for the VC to resign, and if he refused, urged the government to step in and force him to resign.
The other demands in the seven-point demand include:
1. Apologies from all Buet teachers, as they failed to ensure security to the students
2. Assurance of justice for Abrar's murder under a speedy tribunal
3. Expulsion of all those involved with the murder within the next 72 hours
4. Government's intervention in expelling outsiders from residential halls to maintain order and discipline within the campus
5. Ban on all kinds of political activities of teachers and students inside the campus
6. A proper investigation into incidents similar to Abrar's torture, where students were ragged and physically or mentally tortured, and bring those responsible to book. An initiative to open a website where students can fill in their complaints regarding such incidents
Earlier on Wednesday, the association called an emergency meeting at the seminar hall in Buet premises regarding Abrar's incident.
The meeting started with a one-minute silence held in honour of Abrar.
Attending provosts and assistant provosts pointed out issues of illegal occupation of rooms in halls, establishment of political headquarters in the campus and unregulated use of drugs.
The attendants also condemned the VC's actions in the aftermath of Abrar's murder, including the lack of initiative taken to extend sympathy towards Abrar's family, or attend Abrar' janaza.
The association agreed it was high time to bring order and discipline back to the campus, and foster an environment where everyone can practice freedom of speech.
Abrar, a second year student of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department of the university, was beaten to death in the early hours of Monday.
Some leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League have been accused of beating Abrar inside the university’s Sher-e-Bangla Hall.
They claimed Abrar was involved with Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.
Abrar's father filed a murder case against 19 people at Chawkbazar police station on Monday evening. As of Thursday, 16 people have been detained in the case.
Massive protests broke out following Abrar's murder, with students from Buet and other universities holding demonstrations, demanding justice for Abrar and capital punishment for the killers.
