City Desk :
Dhaka University (DU) students staged a protest on Thursday night in front of the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, saying that a social media post by Prof Shishir Bhattacharya of the Institute of Modern Languages “insulted” religion and the martyrs of the July-August uprising.
During the protest, students chanted slogans such as “Break the syndicate of the killers, crush them,” “Religious insults will not be tolerated,” and “Shishir, where are you?”
The protesters presented a three-point demand to the Vice-Chancellor, insisting on the dismissal of Shishir and punishment for insulting religion, and dismantling the current ”illegal” syndicate to form a lawful one.
Mossadek Ali, a student from the Bangla department, said, “If our three-point demands are not met soon, we will launch a more intense movement. Over the next two days, we will carry out public outreach to garner support for our cause.”
Another student, A B Zubayer, said, “When any teacher insults religion, we no longer consider them a teacher. Shishir Bhattacharya has dared to do this. We demand his resignation and punishment.”
He also criticised the teacher’s association, claiming, “The association is trying to rehabilitate fascist forces by electing the Nil Dal. Many fascist allies still hold positions within the teachers’ association. This attempt by the Nil Dal to bring back fascism must be stopped.”
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan assured the students that their demands would be considered legally.
Addressing the allegations against Shishir, the VC said, “Any form of religious insult is a despicable act. We cannot tolerate such behaviour. The martyrs of 2024 are revered heroes, and insulting them is a vile act. Legal action will be taken against anyone who engages in such behaviour.”
