Hasan Mohammad, a teacher at Chittagong University who was on campus to supervise the first-year undergraduate admission test, was released after being detained for around nine hours following alleged harassment on Saturday.
He left the administrative building at around 9pm and departed the campus in a vehicle provided by the proctorial body.
Hasan Mohammad, an assistant professor of the university’s Department of Law and a former assistant proctor, was taken to the proctor’s office and later to the vice-chancellor’s office after an incident near the Law Faculty at around noon, witnesses said.
According to eyewitnesses, several leaders of the Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (Cucsu) chased Hasan from the examination centre and searched his mobile phone. Hasan is known on campus as being affiliated with a faction of the Awami League-aligned and left-leaning teachers’ group, the Yellow Party.
A video of the incident has since gone viral on Facebook. In the one-minute-seven-second clip, Hasan is seen being dragged away by several students while shouting. Cucsu Office Secretary Abdullah Al Noman, Library and Cafeteria Secretary Masum Billah, Law and Human Rights Secretary Fazle Rabbi, and executive member Sohanur Rahman are visible in the footage. Hasan was later taken away in an auto-rickshaw.
Describing the incident, Hasan Mohammad said: “While I was on duty at the examination centre, teachers and staff told me the situation was not good. When I came out, some Cucsu leaders shouted at me. I panicked and ran, but I was still detained and a mob was formed against me.”
Cucsu General Secretary Saeed Bin Habib said their leaders attempted to file a case with Hathazari Police Station but were told it could not be accepted without approval from higher authorities.
“We raised the issue with the university administration. They told us an investigation is underway and action will be taken based on the investigation report,” he said.
University Proctor Hossain Shahid Sarwardy said an inquiry is ongoing into the incident.
“We have learned that the teacher was previously associated with an Awami League faction and served as an assistant proctor. The matter is under investigation and a decision will be taken at the next syndicate meeting,” he said.
He added: “The proctorial body does not have the authority to punish. We ensured his safety and released him.”
However, Hathazari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Jahedur Rahman said no case has been registered so far.
Cucsu Law and Human Rights Secretary Fazle Rabbi said: “We waited at the police station for about two and a half hours to file a case, but were told it was not possible without permission from higher authorities. Later, three Cucsu leaders, including myself, submitted a written complaint to the officer-in-charge.”
