Amid strong protests against the murder of Rajshahi University teacher Prof AKM Shafiul Islam, police arrested 20 people, including a college principal, in connection with the killing.
Officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station Amagir Hossain said local police and detectives launched a drive to arrest the suspected killers in the morning.
They arrested Humayan Ahmed, principal of Islamia College, from Binodpur in the afternoon suspecting his involvement in the murder.The law enforcers also arrested 19 other people in this connection from different areas during their drive.
RU Registrar Eltajul Haq filed a case with Motihar Police Station for the murder of Sociology Department teacher Prof AKM Shafiul Islam.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi University Teachers’ Association (Ruta) announced to boycott classes and exams at the university on Monday and Tuesday in protest against the murder.
Ruta joint secretary general Moshihur Rahman announced the programme on Sunday night after an emergency meeting of the university teachers’ body.
The meeting decided to hold a human chain programme at Shaheb Bazar Zero point of the city on November 19 demanding of the government to mete out exemplary punishment to the killers.
The teachers will wear black badges over the next seven days to register their protest.
Earlier in the day, Ruta, Dhaka University Teachers Association (Duta) and students of Dhaka University and some other institutions staged demonstration on their campuses demanding the arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers of Shafiul Islam.
The RU teachers also boycotted classes and exams today protesting the murder.
Ruta brought out a mourning procession from the Senate Building around 11 am with teachers, students of different departments and employees of the university taking part in it.
After parading the main streets of the campus, they held a brief rally in front of the Senate Building from where they demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the killers.
General secretary of Ruta Prof Pranab Kumar, Prof Sadekul Arefin of Social Work Department, Prof Wardatul Akram of Sociology Department, among others, spoke on the occasion.
The Central Sangskritik Jote, Progotisheel Chhatra Jote staged demonstrations on the campus in protest against the murder.
Meanwhile, Teachers and students of DU made a human chain at Aparajeyo Bangla around 11am where the speakers insisted that the government’s duty is to ensure safety for all citizens.
The government has to shoulder the responsibility for its failure to guarantee public security, they warned.
Prof AKM Shafiul Islam of Sociology Department was stabbed by some unknown assailants on his way home at Chouddapai near the campus around 3:30 pm on Saturday.
He succumbed to his injures at the Intensive Care Unit of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital half an hour later. – UNB
