Sexual harassment at JU

Staff Correspondent

Jahangirnagar University students staged demonstrations, renewing their demands for suspension of a teacher for alleged sexual harassment, as an earlier deadline given by the students came to an end Tuesday.

They thronged the university's roads by bringing out demonstrations from every dormitory, as announced in an earlier protest programme, and marched towards the administrative building around 9.30 am.

The demonstrators gathered for about an hour in front of the building, and held another meeting in the Arts Building around the midday.

JU registrar Abu Bakar Siddique and proctor Mafruhi Sattar spoke to the students and assured them that their demands would be met "within the shortest possible time".

On July 29, the university authorities held a special syndicate meeting to discuss the long-time demand of students for regulations to be enforced against sexual harassment as well as their calls to have a teacher suspended for alleged sexual harassment.  

As the meeting concluded without any decision, students laid siege to the vice chancellor and other syndicate members in the university's administrative building overnight by barring all the gates.

Students freed the staff and syndicate members next day, giving the deadline of Aug 5 to implement the regulations and suspend the accused teacher.

Chhatra Union president SM Shubho, leader of the protesting students, told bdnews24.com Tuesday, as the deadline arrived, that they had given an ultimatum to the authorities to meet their two demands but they were yet to be fulfilled.

"We have held demonstrations today and will announce our next moves later," he said.

On May 3, four female students of the university's drama department submitted a written statement on charges against drama teacher Sanwar Hossain.

The following day, students took to the streets under the banner of 'JU against harassment', and demanded suspension of the teacher and proper enforcement of the regulations.

They boycotted classes for almost three months, demanding the permanent suspension of the teacher.

The JU authorities have formed three different committees to investigate the allegations against Sanwar Hossain.

Two committees have submitted their reports so far and the investigation of the remaining committee led by the VC is still underway.

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