Anti-fascist teachers demand trial of 231 DU ‘blue team’ teachers

University Representative

An organization called the ‘Anti-Fascist Teachers’ Group’ of the university has submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor demanding justice for 231 teachers of the ‘Neel Dal’, a teachers’ organization of Dhaka University (DU). They have demanded that the activities of the Neel Dal be banned and exemplary action be taken against the teachers of the organization.

The memorandum alleged that the teachers of the Blue Party took a stand against the students during the July Uprising and have been harassing students and dissident teachers on campus for the past 17 years. The organization claims that during the Awami League government, active members of the Blue Party harassed students by siding with the ruling party. The context of this incident is part of an older series. Previously, last July, the pro-BNP teachers’ organization ‘Sada Dal’ had similarly called a group of teachers ‘friends of fascists’ and ‘sponsors of the people who ordered the genocide’ and demanded punishment.

At the White Party’s program, the organization’s joint convener, Professor Abul Kalam Sarkar, however, cautioned that no innocent teacher should be harassed, and action should be taken against the teacher concerned only if the allegations are proven. However, questions have been raised in the university arena about how much scrutiny is being taken on the allegations in reality, or whether they are being listed based on organizational political divisions.

The administration has taken a cautious stance on the matter. Earlier, in response to the white party’s demands, DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Education) Professor Abdus Salam said that efforts will be made to consider the demand sincerely and take necessary steps quickly.

Dissent and Concern

A section of the teaching community believes that this trend of declaring colleagues ‘judicial’ on a mass scale based on political positions may be detrimental to the university’s free-speech environment. They argue that considering someone a criminal simply because of their party identity or membership in an organization and demanding punishment against hundreds of people at once may indicate an organized political vendetta rather than evidence-based justice. On the other hand, the protesting teachers say that the demand for justice to hold those who have abused power accountable for a long time is not a political vendetta.

The university administration has yet to officially respond to this latest memorandum. The two sides’ positions on the issue are clearly contradictory, and future steps will depend on how the process of verifying the actual allegations and evidence progresses.