Forced haircut: 11 Rabindra University students go on hunger strike

Eleven students of Rabindra University have gone on a fast unto death demanding expulsion of a teacher, who forced haircuts of 14 first-year students in an examination hall.

They started the hunger strike around 10am on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Farhana Yasmin Baten, assistant proctor and chairperson of the Department of History, Culture and Bangladesh Studies, stepped down from three posts on Tuesday night following a discussion with the members of the Teachers' Council and heads of departments.

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However, the same night she participated in a TV talk show and claimed that no such incident had taken place on that day and that the allegations were a part of conspiracy against her, confirmed Laila Ferdous Himel, head of Department of Bangla.

The Teachers' Council members are set to sit again at 3pm on Wednesday to discuss the matter.

According to sources, Farhana Yasmin had earlier warned the students about long hair. On Sunday, many of the students came to the class after getting their hair trimmed.

Farhana Yasmin Baten cut off the hair of 14 examinees with scissors during the final exams as they did not comply.

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Rajib Adhikari and Jannatul Ferdous Moon, teachers of the same department and assistant proctors, were present at the time but they did not intervene.

On Monday, before the commencement of another examination, the aggrieved students boycotted the exam and gathered at the gate of the temporary campus of the university, located at Shahjadpur Women's Degree College.

At the time, the teachers forced everyone to go to the examination hall.

Later, Farhana Yasmin called one of the students on Monday afternoon and insulted him for posting a status on social media about the haircut incident. She also threatened to expel him from the university.

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Later that day, the student attempted to commit suicide at is room of Shah Mukhdum Hall.

Nazmul Hasan Tuhin consumed 35 sleeping pills and is currently undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College Hospital. On-duty doctors said his condition was critical.