DUTA decides on polls amid chaos

Dhaka, Dec 30 (BDPREM)—The Dhaka University Teachers Association Sunday decided to hold a deferred election to its executive committee on Jan 15, but remained divided over a movement for freedom of teachers and students from jail. At least three teachers apparently walked out on a DUTA meeting that ran into explosive arguments. Some stopped short of scuffling with each other over the movement plan, several teachers attending the meeting told BDPREM. Acting DUTA president Tajmeri SA Islam and acting general secretary Dr Mamun Ahmed and executive committee member Dr Muhammad Shahjahan Miah left the meeting, 15 minutes before it ended at 10pm, bdnews24.com Correspondent Jannatul Ferdous reported from the DU campus. On her way out, Tajmeri said the meeting had set the date for the election to the executive committee. A teacher of the Department of Islamic History, who was present at the meeting, told bdnews24.com that some teachers had ended up close to scuffling with each other as they exchanged angry arguments over the plan for a movement for release of four teachers and students from prison. The teacher did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. On the movement, Tajmeri said the new executive committee would lay out the next plan after the election. "We certainly want freedom for the detained teachers and students. Our demand remains the same," she said. Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, former DUTA president and now an executive committee member, said that there were two issues on agenda—the demand for immediate freedom of teachers and students and the election. "But it's sad that the acting DUTA president skipped the issue of movement," he said. "We didn't expect this," Prof Arefin said, adding that the teachers' main demand was the freedom of colleagues and students. Professor Akhteruzzaman said that up to 15 teachers delivered speeches at the meeting that lasted three hours and a half to 10pm. The meeting came amid looming uncertainty over the election to the DUTA executive committee as the teachers were divided over whether to hold the polls when four of their colleagues are in jail. For the first time in its history, the DUTA will hold a deferred election as the deadline was Dec 31 in line with the constitution of the association.