A female teacher in Rajshahi has been suspended following an assault at Dawkandi Degree College in Durgapur.
The teacher, Aleya Khatun Hira, was allegedly assaulted by local BNP activists over extortion allegations.
Md Asaduzzaman, director of the Secondary and Higher Education (Rajshahi Region), announced the suspension after holding discussions with teachers at the college this afternoon (26 April).
He added that an investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, teachers and staff of the college protested on the campus around 11:30am today, accusing Principal Abdur Razzak and Aleya Khatun Hira of administrative misconduct. They also demanded their resignation.
According to the protesters, members of a Tafsirul Committee visited the college on 23 April to discuss using the college field and seeking financial support.
They alleged that Aleya intentionally labelled them as extortionists and began recording them on her phone. When asked to stop, an altercation ensued.
Assistant Professor of Sociology Rezaul Karim claimed that the situation turned violent after Aleya physically assaulted members of the visiting group.
Teachers further alleged that Aleya exerted undue influence over the principal and effectively acted as an unofficial authority, disrupting normal academic operations.
Attempts to contact Principal Abdur Razzak for comment were unsuccessful.
The principal did not attend the college today, citing illness, and reportedly sought leave from the ministry while assigning temporary responsibilities to a senior teacher.
Following the incident, Aleya has expressed concerns over her safety. She claimed she was the victim of assault and questioned the decision to suspend her.
She also alleged that some teachers involved in financial irregularities incited others and forced participation in the protest.
Aleya admitted that she slapped an individual after he made inappropriate remarks about her character, after which she was physically attacked.
No case has been filed with the police so far regarding the incident.
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