The teachers of Dhaka University demanded Monday immediate arrest of and exemplary punishment to the killers of Rajshahi University Professor AKM Shafiul Islam.
The DU teachers made the demand at a human chain programme under the banner of Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) at Aparajeyo Bangla on the university campus.
Speaking at the event, DUTA President Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed alleged that the RU authorities failed to ensure safety of the teachers, resulting in the assassination of a university teacher in broad day light.
He alleged that a group of armed militants has been trying to establish Bangladesh as a communal country by killing such type of progressive minded teachers.
If the government cannot ensure proper security of the teachers and fail to bring the culprits to book, the group will be desperate and the nation may lose intellectuals in future.
DUTA Secretary General ASM Maksud Kamal moderated human chain programme while DU Treasurer Prof Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Arts Faculty Dean Prof Aktaruzzaman, Senate Member Lutfor Rahman, among others, spoke at the event.
Meanwhile, Federation of Bangladesh University Teachers' Association (FBUTA) also strongly condemned the killing of RU teacher and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
In a joint statement issued on the day, the federation President Prof Farid Uddin Ahmed and Secretary General Dr Rashid Askari called upon the government to take necessary action in this regard.
They said the incident took place as the authorities earlier failed to punish culprits of such brutal killing. The teachers' leaders also expressed deep concern over existing security measures for the university teachers.
khairulislamdu@gmail.com