Students of Dhaka University demonstrated on Saturday evening聽 in front of the vice-chancellor鈥檚 office demanding exemplary punishment, as quickly as possible and following investigation, of chemistry professor Md Ershad Halim over allegations of 鈥榩erverted sexual acts鈥�.
The students took position in front of the administrative building gate after a protest march and brief rally at the Anti-Terrorism Raju Memorial Sculpture in the evening demanding the teacher鈥檚 trial.
They continued the demonstration until 8:00pm in front of the vice-chancellor鈥檚 office on the campus.
At the brief rally, SM Farhad, general secretary of the Dhaka University Central Student鈥檚 Union, DUCSU, said the student body maintained zero tolerance towards any form of rape or harassment.
He also said that the campus will not allow homosexuality, rape or sexual harassment and if the highest punishment is not ensured, they will take action against any teacher or official involved in delaying the process.
DUCSU member Sarba Mitra Chakma said students came to the university from remote areas of 64 districts because their parents sent them here to study, yet they were not safe in the hands of teachers.
A section of Dhaka University teachers, he said, used their noble profession to justify greed, lust and cruelty, which was shameful.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka metropolitan magistrate court on Friday sent Professor Ershad to jail hours after he was arrested at his Shewrapara home in a case filed with Mirpur police station in the capital, allegedly for assaulting and sexually harassing several male students.
Besides, Socialist Students鈥� Front Dhaka University unit on Saturday demanded a fair investigation and trial into allegations of blackmail, indecent proposals, forced physical contact and mental and physical abuse by chemistry teacher Ershad Halim, raised by several students on social media.
In a joint statement, its convener Muzammel Haque and general secretary Akash Ali said students reported being abused during moments of personal, financial or academic vulnerability, posing a threat to campus safety.