Four RU teachers jailed for violating EPR

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RAJSHAHI, Dec 3 (UNB): Verdict in the case facing six detained teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) for the violation of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) 2007 will be delivered Tuesday.
Judge of the Speedy Trial Tribunal Ruhul Amin will deliver judgment in the case involving the RU campus flare-up in backlash against the Dhaka University (DU) troubles over an incident between students and some army personnel.
The accused teachers are former RU Vice-chancellor (VC) Saidur Rahman Khan, Abdus Sobhan of Applied Physics and Electronics Department, Moloy Kumar Bhowmik, chairman of Management Department, and assistant professors of Mass Communication Department Selim Raza Newton, Dulal Chandra Biswas and Abdullah Al Mamun.
Police had lodged the case against the six on charges of their involvement in bringing out procession in violation of the emergency rules and 'instigating vandalism' on August 21 and 22 on the RU campus following violence on the DU campus on August 20.
Police arrested Saidur Rahman Khan, also a member of Awami League (AL) advisory council, Abdus Sobhan, convener of Progressive Teachers Forum, and Moloy Kumar Bhowmik on August 24. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Motihar thana, Khandaker Ferdous Ahmed, filed the case against the six teachers on August 26.
After investigation, police submitted charge sheet against the six on September 2.
The three other accused of the case --- teachers of Mass Communication Department Selim Raza Newton, Dulal Chandra Biswas and Abdullah Al Mamun-surrendered on September 5.
The court formally framed the charges against the six teachers on September 17 and recorded depositions of 20 prosecution witnesses.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ali Ahmed fixed December 4 as the date of delivering verdict.
Meanwhile, family members of the arrested teachers, their colleagues and students expressed the hope that the teachers would be acquitted as they would prove 'innocent'.
Meanwhile, bdnews24.com adds: Law adviser Mainul Hosein Tuesday said that there was scope for mercy for convicted Rajshahi University teachers even after the pronouncement of the verdict.
"The teachers still have chances to challenge the verdict at the High Court. Apart from that, the government can be sympathetic to them as well," Mainul told reporters after launching "Legislative Desk Book" at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.
The adviser said it was unfortunate that teachers had to face trial. "But it should also be established in Bangladesh that nobody is beyond the reach of law."
"There are some unthinkable things we must face-to establissh the rule of law," he said.
"Student-teacher relationship should be like a relationship between a father and his son. But the teachers now incite partisanship among students instead," he said.