SUST teacher punished for celebrating 'end of August'

An assistant professor at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology has been punished severely by the university syndicate over a “controversial” Facebook post. The decision came at a syndicate meeting on Wednesday and confirmed on Thursday. Monjurul Haider Sumon, a teacher at the Department of Anthropology, was the subject of much outrage and backlash following a post on Facebook where he expressed his delight in the coming of the month of August. The SUST unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League interpreted the post as being disparaging about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the tragic death of whom including his family is commemorated by August as a national month of mourning.

A Bangladesh Chhatra League member slamming the SUST teacher on Facebook Syndicate member Dr Md Kabir Hossain told the Dhaka Tribune that the following punishment have been meted out to Sumon. -A Tk50,000 fine payable within the next six months -Six months of forced leave -Demotion from assistant professor to lecturer

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Sumon, in his defence, claimed the post was merely about him looking forward to the birthdays of him and his wife – both in August – and the completion of his PhD thesis which was scheduled for publication in the journal of Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development.

Screenshot of the Facebook post which caused the controversy in the first place Following the post, BCL members vandalised Sumon’s room and ripped off his nameplate on July 17. Several teachers and the BCL unit campaigned demanding harsh punishments for Sumon. They claimed Sumon’s post intentionally demeaned the significance of the month of August.