NN Online:
Nahid Islam, the Interim Government’s Information Adviser, declined the honor bestowed upon him during the anniversary celebration of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) on Saturday.
At an event held at the university’s Independence Memorial Grounds, he refused the recognition after delivering his keynote speech, responding to demands raised by students.
Earlier in the day, the university administration honored several deans and guests, including Professor Kamalesh Chandra Roy, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, during a ceremony following the inauguration of the university’s main gate on its 16th founding anniversary.
However, students raised objections during the ceremony, accusing Professor Kamalesh Chandra of being aligned with the ruling Awami League, and expressing concerns over Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s controversial newspaper column.
Following the keynote speech, a student from the 2019-2020 academic year, Raisul Farid, voiced concerns, stating, “The chairperson of a committee led by a disgraced teacher, Mashiur, an accused in the murder case of Abu Sayeed, is being honored today.”
In response, Nahid Islam stated, “I was unaware of these issues beforehand. Since you have claimed that figures aligned with the Awami League and autocracy have been honored on this stage, I cannot accept the recognition given to me here today.”
He added, “Perhaps one day I will return to a fascism-free BRUR and only then will I accept a true honor.”
Later, Dr. Shafiqul Rahman, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts, defended his writings, saying, “The title of my column was ‘When Abu Sayeed Became the Teacher of Politicians’. The criticism is being made based on a single line.”
BRUR Vice-Chancellor Dr. Shawkat Ali stated that an investigation committee will thoroughly investigate those involved in past incidents and bring them to justice, requesting patience for the process to be completed.