Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Thursday declared illegal the decision taken in the Dhaka University syndicate giving demotion to Samia Rahman, a teacher of the Mass Communication and Journalism Department, on allegation of plagiarism in research papers.
It also asked the Dhaka University authorities to give her all the facilities including returning her previous post since the time of demotion.
The High Court bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Md Akhtaruzzaman delivered the verdict after hearing on a rule issued earlier in this regard.
The Dhaka University authorities on January 28 in 2021 in a monthly syndicate meeting took a decision to give demotion to three teachers including Samia Rahman on charge of plagiarism in their research.
Samia Rahman who was discharging duties as Associate Professor in the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism had been demoted as assistant professor for two years period.
Later Samia Rahman made an appeal with the chancellor of the university against the decision. As no remedy was found she on August 31 in 2021 filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the decision taken by the Dhaka University authorities.
Upon hearing the petition the High Court on September 5 in 2021, issued a ruling upon the respondents to explain as to why the decision taken by the Dhaka University syndicate giving demotion to Samia Rahman should not be declared illegal.
Education secretary, Dhaka University vice-chancellor and 10 other respondents had been asked to comply with the ruling.
The court at the same time asked the Dhaka University authorities to submit all the documents including the inquiry report prepared on allegation of plagiarism in Samia’s research paper and the recommendations of the tribunal within three weeks.
After final hearing on the writ petition the High Court on August 4, 2022 delivered the verdict.
Barrister Hassan MS Azim appeared in the court on behalf of Samia Rahman, while Deputy Attorney General Nowroz Md Rasel Chowdhury represented the state.
Lawyer Hassan MS Azim said the court has declared the rule absolute which means the decision taken in the Dhaka University syndicate is illegal. The court also asked the Dhaka University authorities to give her all the facilities including returning her previous post since the time of demotion, added the lawyer.
