Desk Report
Published: 29 Sep 2021, 08:23 pm
Rabindra University Teacher Farhana Yeasmin Baten || Photo: Collected
Amid student protests,
Farhana Yeasmin Baten, assistant proctor of Rabindra University, has quit three
posts over her alleged involvement in trimming the hair of its 16 students as
punishment and subsequent ‘suicide attempt’ by one of them.
Farhana quit the three
positions of assistant proctor, head of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh
Studies Department and syndicate member—and submitted resignation letters on
Tuesday night.
Earlier, the university
authorities formed a five-member committee to probe the incident, said
treasurer and acting vice-chancellor of the university Abdul Latif.
According to some students
of the department, Farhana asked the first-year students of the department to
trim their hair. All but 16 students did not comply with her instruction as per
the advice.
On Sunday, while they were
entering the examination halls to sit for their final exams, the teacher
instructed an office assistant to trim the hair of the 16 students and he did
it accordingly, the students alleged.
Protesting the incident, the
students boycotted the examination held on Monday and it went viral on social
media following the student protest.
The students also formed a
human chain at the university’s temporary campus-1 in Shahzadpur Mohila Degree
College area on Monday, where the assistant proctor showed up and instructed
them to wrap up their protests or get failed in the exams.
Unable to bear the
humiliation, Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, 25, a student of the department and a resident
of Magura district, consumed sleeping pills on Monday in an effort to take his
own life.
He was undergoing treatment
at Enayetpur Khaza Yunus Ali Medical College and Hospital.
However, Farhana denied the
allegation and claimed that it is propaganda against her as she did not defer
the exam as per the request of a few students.
Contacted, additional
treasurer of the university Abdul Latif said they have no idea what the issue
is, and there has been no written complaint in this regard. (UNB)