Fifty teachers of different public universities have demanded immediate release of Chattogram University teacher Maidul Islam, who was sent to jail in a case filed allegedly over making ‘derogatory remarks’ on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook.
“We have come to know that Assistant Professor Maidul Islam of Sociology Department of Chattogram University was sent to jail on Monday. We are surprised, angered and saddened in the incident,” said a joint statement issued by the teachers on Wednesday. A release signed by Fahmidul Haq, an Associate Professor of Dhaka University’s Department of Mass Communication and Journalism, said “According to newspaper reports, Bangladesh Chhatra League took position against Maidul Islam and another teacher following their Facebook post during quota reform movement across the country and they were declared as ‘Persona non grata’ in their departments on July 17.
Facing threat from BCL, Maidul was forced to leave campus and he gave a letter to proctor seeking his security. Later, a former leader of BCL filed a case against Maidul with Hathazari Police Station under Section-57 of ICT Act.”
The statement also said that Maidul was granted anticipatory bail for eight weeks from court on August 6. After expiry of his bail term, he surrendered before the court on Monday and the court sent him to jail denying his bail petition.
The teachers in the statement demanded Maidul’s release from jail with honour as soon as possible.
They also demanded to identify the person/s threatened him and bring them under trial and punishment.
Professor Anu Mohammad of Economics Department in Jahangirnagar University, Prof Giti Ara Nasreen and Prof Robaet Ferdous of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University, Samina Lutfa, an Associate Professor of Sociology Department in Dhaka University are among the signatories of the statement. Chittagong University (CU) authorities on Tuesday temporarily suspended Maidul Islam.
On July 24, a former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League and CU student Md Iftekhar Uddin Ayaz filed the case with Hathazari Police Station under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act.
On July 15, the Sociology teacher had to leave the campus along with his family following continuous threat reportedly from BCL activists over his Facebook post in support of the quota reform movement and alleged demeaning of the Prime Minister.
