The High Court has postponed the decision of the suspension of Prof Md Rahmat Ullah, President of the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), from academic and administrative duties by the university authority.
The High Court bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed and Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque passed the order on Wednesday after hearing a writ petition filed by the DUTA leader.
Lawyers Ahsanul Karim and Syeda Nasrin appeared in the court hearing for the writ petitioner.
Earlier on April 20 this year, the university syndicate suspended Prof Md Rahmat Ullah from all the academic and administrative duties as he paid a tribute to Khandakar Mushtaq Ahmed, one of the alleged conspirators of the fatal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in an event of the Mujibnagar Day.
On April 17, the DU authorities organized a discussion on Mujibnagar Day at the Teacher-Student Centre of the campus. During his speech, Prof Rahmat Ullah appeared to pay homage to Mushtaq.
Pro-VC Prof Dr Muhammad Samad immediately protested Prof Rahmat Ullah's statement and demanded that it be retracted. Later, 0n April 18, Prof Rahmat Ullah arranged a press conference and apologized for “inadvertently” paying tribute to Khandakar Mushtaq and gave an explanation of it.
Prof Rahmat Ullah, claimed at the press conference that he had just mentioned the names of those holding office in different ministries of the Mujibnagar government and never paid respect to Mushtaq specifically.