DU Correspondant :
The Dhaka University (DU) students of Mass Communication and Journalism Department staged protests against Prof Naadir Junaid of the same department following anallegation of sexual harassment and also called for boycott of all academic activities.
Earlier on Saturday night, the students of all running batches declared the boycott on social media of students demanding justice of the harassment and protesting the incidents.
The students demanded a free trial on these allegations and to take strict measures and claimed that the teacher must be barred from all academic performance during investigation Moreover, another student of Mass Communication and Journalism has filed a writtencomplaint against Prof Naadir Junaid alleging mental harassment when the victim came to the professor for judgement of sexual harassment vocally by her friend in 2022.
The victim claimed in the written complaint that the professor tried to cover up the incident from the beginning as the accused was one of his close students and mentally tortured her. Further the professor said that ‘It’s not a big deal’.
The agitating students staged protests at the Department floor and chanted slogans in favor of their demand with banners and posters in their hand.
Posters were also sealed on the department’s notice board where students demanded not to see him again on the floor.
The students claimed that the alleged teacher wore sunglasses in the classroom andtook a glance at the girls. We have been seeing this kind of behaviour since the first year.
After more than two hours of sitting in, the students moved tothe Aparajeyo Bangla with a rally.
Later, the students submitted a memorandum to the chairman of MCJ Department demanding to absolve him from the department during the investigation.
Otherwise, they declared that they will not attend any academic activities until the claim is accomplished.
However, immediately MCJ Department Chairmen prof. Abul Mansur Ahmed along with some teachers went to the VC office to discuss the matter.
Meanwhile, some of the students were called to the VC office to discuss the matter.
Rajin Khan was one of them. When contacted, he said, when the vice chancellor sir wanted to know our demands, we clearly said that we want him to be absolved.
But the vice-chancellor sir didn’t listen to our words, rather he said that the procedure will go on systemically. But we want to see quick visible steps on this matter.”
“His oppression was an open secret in the department. No one dared to speak out against him. When a new batch comes to this department, he fix his targets like a serial killer.
First, he makes friendly relationship with his targets and later he exposes his real face. We want an end of his dirty game,” Azra Humaira, a student of MCJ 14th batch claimed while addressing the rally.
Mentioning that many students were harassed by this professor, but everyone remained silent until one of our sisters complained, Samdani prottoy, another student of the department said, “It’s beyond our imagination how many students have been harassed by this guy? Now it’s not only her movement to have Justice. We have to turn this movement into our movement.
We do not want any sexual harassers in our classroom and in our department.”
Contacted, chairman of the department Professor Dr. Abul Mansoor Ahmad said.
