The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rajshahi Correspondent

Rajshahi Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court yesterday issued arrest warrant against a Rajshahi University teacher following a defamation suit filed by vice-chancellor against him.

On the other hand, our Rajshahi University correspondent AM Jahid reported last night that silent movement continues at Rajshahi University demanding unconditional release of 10 detained students and employee accused of August campus violence yesterday.

Besides, a female student of the Department of Economics of Rajshahi University was stabbed yesterday.

Our Rajshahi Correspondent Dayemuddin reports: CMM Rezaul Karim issued a warrant of arrest against M Faruk-uz Zaman, a professor of History department after police reported that RU VC Prof Dr M Altaf Hossain's allegations of defaming him and threats on his life was primarily found to be true.

Faruk-uz Zaman on July 7 last year sent a letter to the Chief Adviser of caretaker government, Education Adviser, University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman and RU VC mentioning a number of allegations of irregularities. Reading a copy of the letter, Prof Dr M Altaf Hossain lodged the defamation suit in August last year claiming that his reputation as a professor was greatly tarnished by the false propaganda and he felt threatened.

After filing of the case, the court had asked police to determine fact into the matter.

Faruk's lawyer Aslam Sarker said, with demanding VC's resignation and removal, the letter carried Faruk's comment as saying who knows what fate he (VC) was going to face for his abuse of power, corruption, and nepotism.

"The VC wrongly took Faruk's attempt to alert him as threats on his life and lodged the case," he added.

"I lodged the case as a professor, not as the VC. It (the letter) was very offending, his language was so attacking", RU VC Prof Dr Altaf told reporters yesterday evening.

"My complain was for the safety of all teachers and for that one teacher can show respect for another", he said.

Faruk-uz Zaman, a senior teacher in his letter alleged that the VC controversially recruited more than 500 teachers, officials and employees on political considerations by violating UGC directives.

Appointment of three close-relatives of the VC including his son-in-law as lecturers, appointing pro-Jamaat teacher Prof Nazrul Islam as permanent professor at the Education and Research Institute, promotion of a pro-Jamaat Assistant Registrar to the post of Registrar without selection committee meeting and re-appointment of some former deans after expiry of tenure were among the 11-points and were termed to be in violation of rules.

Meanwhile, a Rajshahi court yesterday stayed proceedings of the Tk 50,000 extortion case against journalist and human rights activist Jahangir Alam Aakash for three months.

The court of Rajshahi district and session judge AR Masud gave the order after Aakash's lawyers submitted before the court a higher court order regarding the stay.

On November 25, the home ministry included the extortion case filed by Mahfuzul Haque Loton, a contractor and Rajshahi district Awami League vice president, for holding its trial under the Emergency Power Rules of 2007.

Aakash, general secretary of Rajshahi Union of Journalists' and Rajshahi regional coordinator of Bangladesh Institute of Human Rights challenging the home ministry order filed a writ petition with the High Court.

A HC bench, comprising Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Abdul Awal on January 2 stayed the case for three months and issued a rule against the government seeking explanation.

Aakash, also Rajshahi bureau reporter of Bengali Daily Sangbad and now defunct CSB News is facing total three extortion charges under Puthia and Boalia police stations in the district.

He was arrested on October 24 last year and was freed on bail 28 days later on November 19. However, the same court on January 7 last cancelled the bail and issued arrest warrant against him.

Aakash and his family members claimed, all three extortion charges against him were false and fabricated and filed with ulterior motives.

Aakash said, plaintiffs of the cases had grudge against him for publishing news reports against them. He was inhumanly tortured after his arrest, he added.

Loton, one of the plaintiffs alleged, Akash and two others demanded Tk 50,000 toll from him near a city Chinese restaurant on April 13 and he was forced to pay him Tk 20,000 following threats.

One Abdul Jalil, son of Kalimuddin of Kandra areas in Puthia sued Aakash with Puthia PS for extorting him Tk 30,000 on October 23.

He alleged in his case, he was forced to pay Aakash a toll of Tk 30,000 in April 2002 when Aakash threatened him saying that his son Harun would be hanged if his son's rape incident is published in newspapers.

Puthia municipal BNP president Abdul Latif Biswas also sued Aakash in another extortion case.

Meanwhile, our RU correspondent reports: A good number of students of Rajshahi University continued silent movement yesterday demanding unconditional release of 10 detained students and employee accused of August campus violence on the campus.

'Students Against Repression (Nirjatan Birodhi Students)' of RU demanded the unconditional release of all detained students immediately at a press conference in front of Mass Communications and Journalism Department yesterday afternoon.

They will observe some programmes like silent possession wearing black ribbons and black clothe over their faces at 11:00 am today (Tuesday). If the government and the RU not withdrew the case against students and employee, they would launch a tougher possession, they said.

Convener of the new organization of RU Masud Rana, Murad Zaman Rabbani, Monzurul Islam and Hasan Imon Sagor were present on the press conference.

In a separate move, about 200 students of "Students Against Authoritarianism (Kortitto Birodhi Students)" of RU organised a rally of mass song wearing black ribbons at 12:00 noon at Bablatola of campus demanding the same. The rally paraded the main thoroughfares of RU campus, which ended at central bus stand at 2:00 pm. After the rally, Md.Hasan Reza Arif, Mamunur Rashid and Badgon Audhikary spoke.

They also demand unconditional release of all detained students and employee of RU. They also demanded withdrawal of case against student before 15 January. If Govt. will not take immediate action according to their demand, they will attend on tougher action for the release of detained students from Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a female student of Economics Department of Rajshahi University (RU) stabbed yesterday.

Hosne Ara Sharmin, a Master's degree student of the Economic Department was.stabbed at the Zubery Playground of RU. Miscreants on board of two motor bikers approached to her and stabbed her on hand at about 9:00am, she said.

The injured was immediately taken to the RU medical center for treatment.

The injured student complained that some people wanted to kill her because of her bright result in Honours examination. But she could not identify the criminals.

Sharmin is the sole student in her batch under the Department of Economics who obtained first class in her honours final examination.

'Students Against Repression' alleged that this kind of heinous incident had been taking place on the campus 'because of irresponsibility' of RU authorities. They demanded immediate action against the culprits.