Anti-July Uprising role: IU waives punishment of 30 teachers, officials

The authorities of Islamic University in Kushtia have decided to revoke disciplinary actions against 19 teachers and 11 officials who were previously suspended following an investigation into their alleged involvement in activities against the July uprising that led to the ousting of the Awami League government.

The decision was taken at the university's 273rd emergency syndicate meeting, held on campus on Wednesday and chaired by Vice-Chancellor Professor Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah.

The 19 teachers whose suspensions have been lifted are M Mahbubar Rahman of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; M Baki Billah Bikul and Rabiul Islam of the Department of Bangla; Akterul Islam, Miah M Rashiduzzaman and Afroza Banu of the Department of English; M Mahbubul Arfin of the Department of Management; Kazi Akhtar Hossain and Shelina Nasrin of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems; Debashish Sharma of the Department of Economics; Tapon Kumar Joddar and Paresh Chandra Barman of the Department of Information and Communication Technology; Reba Mondol and Shahjahan Mondol of the Department of Law; Joyshree Sen of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering; Amjad Hossain of the Department of Al-Fiqh and Law; Shahidul Islam of the Department of Human Resource Management; Mazedul Islam of the Department of Marketing; and Mehedi Hasan of the Department of Law and Land Management.

The 11 officials reinstated are: Alamgir Hossain Khan, Abdul Hannan, Walid Hasan Mukut, Abdus Salam Selim, Ibrahim Hossain Sona, Ukil Uddin, Jahangir Alam Shimul, JM Elias, Tofazzel Hossain, Sheikh Abu Siddique Rokon and Masudur Rahman.

An official from the IU Registrar's Office, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the university authorities reached their decision after reviewing a report submitted by a retired judge who examined the original disciplinary proceedings.

"The retired judge concluded that the investigation and review committees did not conduct their work in accordance with the Islamic University Employees' Efficiency and Discipline Rules, 1986," the official said. "Therefore, implementing the punishments recommended by those committees would not be legally valid."

Based on this legal opinion, the emergency syndicate meeting voted to waive the sanctions and reinstate the accused staff members, while issuing a strong warning that they must perform their duties with caution and avoid any future controversies.

The disciplinary actions were first imposed during the university's 271st syndicate meeting on 30 October last year, when the 30 individuals were suspended over allegations of involvement in activities opposing the July uprising.

At the subsequent 272nd syndicate meeting on 30 January this year, the administration decided to seek an independent legal opinion on the review committee's report. A retired senior district and sessions judge was appointed to examine the investigation report, statements from the accused, and the review committee's findings.

The judge's opinion, delivered earlier this month, formed the basis for Wednesday's decision to overturn the suspensions.

Neither IU Vice-Chancellor Professor Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah nor Acting Registrar Professor M Manjurul Haque could be reached for comment despite repeated attempts to contact them by telephone.

Irfan Ullah/MHK