JU Correspondent :
At a human chain organized by the Jahangirnagar University Teachers’ Association on Wednesday, faculty members voiced their concerns over a recent rape incident on campus, attributing it to a prevailing culture of impunity.
Professor Mohammad Golam Rabbani, from the History department and a senate member of the university, highlighted the issue, stating, “A teacher implicated in sexual harassment has admitted to the accusations, yet the university’s Vice-Chancellor (VC) has delayed the trial process.
Despite forming a structured committee, the trial has not concluded even after fourteen months. This recent rape incident is a direct result of the culture of impunity.”
Rabbani criticized the VC for not temporarily suspending the accused teacher, which is a provision in the existing rules, stating, “The VC, who leads the structured committee, has failed to take this interim measure.”
Supporting Rabbani’s statements, Anichha Parvin Jolly, another professor from the History department, demanded swift action against the accused, including the case involving a teacher accused of sexual harassment, “Immediate steps were taken against the accused in the recent incident by convening the syndicate.
Similar swift action is needed in other sexual harassment cases.”
The allegations were made during a gathering at around 12:00 pm at the university’s Shaheed Minar premises, part of a movement against campus repression following an incident on February 3, where a woman was allegedly raped by a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader and his accomplices while her husband was confined.
The accused teacher, Mahmudur Rahman Joni, an assistant professor in the Public Health and Informatics department and a former assistant proctor, faces sexual harassment allegations.
The teachers participating in the human chain called for severe punishment for the prime accused and his associates involved in the gang rape on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus.
A member of the structured committee, requesting anonymity, shared, “Joni has initially admitted to the allegations. We are convinced of his guilt and believe he must face severe punishment.”
This member also expressed disappointment over the VC’s apparent lack of interest in concluding Joni’s trial, “The VC, as the head of the structured committee, expresses a desire for justice but consistently avoids discussing the issue.”
Additionally, the ‘Nipiron Birodhi Mancha’, JU Sangskritik Jote, and progressive students participated in the protest, displaying black flags in their demonstration. In response to the rape incident, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has established a three-member fact-finding committee to investigate.
The committee includes Mohammad Jaminur Rahman, Director of UGC’s Public University Management Division, as the convener; Deputy Director Mauli Azad and Assistant Director Md Sehzad Rifat Siyam as members.
The university administration also expanded the investigation team by adding Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell Chief Professor Jebunnessa and Philosophy Department Professor ASM Anwarullah Bhuiyan to review the recent rape case.