Staff Reporter :A Rajshahi University teacher was hacked to death by some unidentified miscreants in Shalbagan area of the city on Saturday morning. The ill-fated teacher was identified as Prof. AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, a professor of English Department of the university.According to family members, witnesses and police, a gang of unidentified miscreants launched attack on Rezaul Karim at Bottola intersection in Shalbagan area adjacent to his residence on Rajshahi-Naogaon highway at about 7.40am and started chopping him indiscriminately. Like previous days when Professor Rezaul Karim was waiting for university transport in the area, the criminals riding motorbike reached the spot and swooped on him and stabbed him from the back direction. “At one stage Professor Rezaul Karim fell down on the road and died on the spot. The criminals chopped his neck. And he died on the spot. Like me many locals witnessed the brutal murder but nobody came forward. Leaving the teacher in a pool of blood, the criminals left the scene,” a witness told The New Nation yesterday. He said that, he saw two people leaving on a motorcycle from the spot after the murder. “He was lying face down in a pool of blood.”Police said there are similarities between the murder of Professor Rezaul Karim and the killings of blogger and secular activists in the past. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Md Shamsuddin told our local correspondent that the nature of murder — use of sharp weapons — was similar to the case of blogger killings.The RMP Commissioner said police suspect that militants committed the murder.He was found lying on his face with long deep cut on his neck, Shamsuddin said. “It appears that the killers are trained and experienced.”On information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body that bore several injury marks, said Officer-in-Charge of Boalia Police Station Shahadat Hossain. “Symptoms suggest that Professor Karim was killed the same way as the bloggers have so far been hacked to death,” he said. The teachers of English Department and also the colleagues of slain Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique said they did not have any clue as to the motive of the murder. “He was a peace-loving person. There’s no chance he had any enemy,” Professor Shahidullah, a teacher of English department, saidOur RU Correspondent adds: Teachers and students at Rajshahi University staged demonstration on the campus yesterday protesting the murder of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique. Rajshahi University Teachers Association (RUTA) boycotted classes yesterday and they held a protest rally on the campus. The teachers will continue their boycott programme till today (Sunday). They will also hold a mourning rally this morning.The agitating students from different departments blocked Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in front of RU main entrance for half an hour protesting the brutal killing of Professor Rezaul Karim Siddique and their fellow Mizanur Rahman whose body was found on Friday at a hotel in Rajshahi. Traffic halted on both sides of the road during their blockade from 10:15 am to 10:45am.Addressing at a brief rally, they demanded immediate arrest of the killers.Later withdrawing their blockade, they brought out a protest procession on campus and paraded different streets.Later, at 11:30am around five hundred students of English Department brought out a protest procession on the campus. RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Muhammad Mizanuddin and Pro-VC Prof Chowdhury Sarwar Jahan expressed deep concern over the killing and demanded proper investigation. Chhatra Union, Chhatra Federation, Chhatra Front and Biplobi Chhatra Moitree of Rajshahi University unit, Progressive Students’ Alliance, University Teachers Association and Rajshahi University Association of Law Finders (RUALF) also condemned the brutal killing and demanded to bring into book the killers immediately.RUTA observed class boycotting programme from 12:00 noon yesterday and they will also boycott classes today (Sunday) protesting the murder, RUTA Secretary Prof Shah Azam Shantanu declared the programme.Addressing a protest rally, the speakers alleged that such brutal murders are being committed due to culture of impunity.They will hold a mourning rally today (Sunday) at 10:30am. Talking to reporters, Riyasat Imtiaz Sourav, son of the slain Professor said, my father had no personal enemy. He also expressed deep concern over delay in getting justice of this brutal killing. Whoever did kill my father, I just want quick justice after proper investigation.Prof Siddique was born in 1955 at Bagmara Upazila in Rajshahi. He completed his graduation and post graduation from RU English Department in 1976 and 1977 respectively. He served at Faridpur Govt. Rajendra College as lecturer from 1981-83.Later, he joined as a lecturer at RU English Department in 1983. He also achieved Ph.D degree in 2000. Prof Siddique served as chairman of the Department from 2001-04. He was elevated to the rank of Professor in 2006.He left behind his wife Hosne Ara Sheera, a son and a daughter. His son, Riyasat Imtiaz Sourav is a final year student of Civil Engineering Department at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) and daughter, Rezwana Hasin Shatobi has completed her post-graduation from RU English Department this year.Professor Siddique was a guitarist and also adviser of two cultural organisations — Arony Sangskritik Sangsad and Sundaram. He was also the founding editor of Kamal Gandhar, a cultural based magazine.
