Rabindra University teacher suspended for cutting students’ hair forcibly
The university authorities also suspended all academic and administrative activities indefinitely
Rabindra University authorities have suspended Farhana Yasmin Baten, the teacher accused of cutting the hair of 16 students forcibly.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the university's syndicate on Thursday (30 September) evening, said a press release.
Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Abdul Latif presided over the syndicate meeting, attended by the dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Dhaka, Professor Abu Delwar Hossain, Joint Secretary-3 of the Ministry of Education-3 Syeda Nawara Jahan and Rabindra University Registrar Sohrab Ali.
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At the same time, it has been directed to suspend the academic and administrative activities of the university till further instructions. All examinations have been postponed as well.
The final decision regarding Farhana Yasmin Baten will be taken based on the report by the university's investigation committee, the press release added. According to the students, Farhana Yasmin had previously told the male students to trim long hair.
On 26 September, she was standing with scissors in front of an examination hall where first-year students sat for the final examination. She stopped the students whose hair was long. Later, she cut the hair of 16 students at the entrance. The teacher then verbally abused and humiliated the students inside the examination hall as well. The incident went viral when the victim students posted about it on Facebook in protest.
They also said that Farhana Yasmin called Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, one of the protesting students, to her chamber. She insulted him and threatened to expel him permanently from the university. After facing the humiliation, Tuhin tried to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills in his room at Shah Makhdum Hall the following day. He was then rescued and taken to hospital in critical condition. He is currently undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College.
The incident agitated fellow students. They staged a protest on the university campus till late night of 27 September and resumed the demo the next day. The students have threatened to go on a hunger strike demanding the permanent removal of the teacher.
A probe committee was formed and had been asked to submit a report within the next seven days following the incident.
Farhana Yasmin resigned as the chairman of Department of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies, assistant proctor, and a member of the proctorial board.
