Teachers from the University Teachers’ Network have criticized Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Rucsu) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar for calling to shut down their organization, labeling his demand as an “undemocratic practice.”
On Sunday, the University Teacher Network issued a statement titled “Stop Student Representatives’ Activities Beyond Their Jurisdiction on Campus.” The statement highlighted Ammar’s role in forcing six deans at Rajshahi University to resign, and accused him of creating a mob mentality on campus while harassing students and teachers.
The statement noted that the Rucsu GS has repeatedly declared that: “pro-League teachers will be dragged by their collars and tied up in front of the administration building” if they enter the campus.
On Monday, Ammar commented on the statement posted to the Teacher Network’s Facebook page, writing: “I am calling for the Teacher Network to be shut down.” His comment has sparked widespread discussion and criticism on social media.
Professor Bokhtiar Ahmed from Rajshahi University’s Anthropology Department, who is currently on leave from teaching, told Dhaka Tribune: “Salahuddin Ammar is simply continuing what he’s been doing all along.”
He added: “If you don’t have even the basic education in political etiquette and civility, it’s extremely unfortunate. At a time when we need optimism following the July uprising, this is pushing the nation further into disappointment.”
Professor Souvik Reza from Rajshahi University’s Bangla Department called Ammar’s demand an undemocratic practice. “He’s asking to shut down the network because he has the power, but this isn’t a democratic right—you can’t just call for shutting down a political party or a democratic organization, a teachers’ organization,” he said.
He continued: “The few teachers who went to police stations during the movement to secure students’ release… you’ll find they were all from the Teacher Network.”
Professor Md Kamrul Hassan from Dhaka University’s Physics Department compared the Teacher Network to white blood cells in the body: “White blood cells fight against viruses and diseases that enter the body to keep us healthy.”
He said: “Threatening to tie people up, beat them, do this or that—that’s not something students should be saying… threatening to remove people from their jobs, tie them to trees, grab them by the collar—these aren’t things students should be doing.”
Professor Kamrul Hasan added: “If someone says to shut down the Teacher Network—how can you shut down the Teacher Network? How can you stop protest? Can protest ever be stopped?”
Speaking about the tradition and responsibilities of student unions, Professor Bakhtiar Ahmed said: “These student unions have a responsibility to create a new political culture in the country. The tradition of student unions is supposed to be about forward-looking politics in Bangladesh.”
Teachers believe that such incidents are negatively impacting the expectations for building a new democratic culture in the country following the July uprising.
