Popular author Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal was stabbed on Saturday afternoon at Shahjalal University of Science & Technology in Sylhet.
Zafar Iqbal, a teacher of SUST's Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) department, has been sent to M.A.G. Osmani Medical College Hospital in Sylhet. He needs A+ blood for surgery.
The incident was reported during concluding session of Electrical and Electronics Engineering festival , Robo-5, at the Mukta Mancha of the university.
One person has been detained in connection with the attack, a teacher from the university said. But other attackers have not been identified.
Witnesses said, the professor sustained injuries in his head from the knife attack. "Though he was bleeding, he was still able to speak," a witness said.
Describing the incident, UNB said quoting a witness, a young man swooped on Dr Zafar Iqbal around 5:40pm while he was sitting on the stage.
SUST Proctor Zahir Uddin Ahmed said a young man came from behind the stage and stabbed his neck, chest and mouth. He was immediately detained by police and others.
SUST students have started agitation protesting the attack.
Jalalabad Police Station OC Shafiqul Islam Swapan said police are working to bring the situation under control.
A police constable, Ibrahim, was also injured while trying to catch the attacker.
According to bdnews24.com, the eminent author had recently criticised the practice of ragging on campus.
In his recent statement, He had said that five students punished for ragging had gotten off easy and should have been handed over to police.
However, it was not immediately clear whether the attack was related to his criticism of ragging.
Some students believe militants may have been responsible for the attack as Iqbal has been an outspoken opponent of militancy and communalism.