Forced hair cutting of students by a university’s teacher created a big row in Bangladesh as hundreds of students protested, with some sitting on hunger strike, demanding the termination of the teacher. The university administration suspended the accused teacher and closed down the university indefinitely amid the protest. 

The incident happened in Rabindra University in Shahjadpur district in Bangladesh where an associate professor, Farhana Yaesmin Baten, was accused of cutting the long hair of some of the male students--an allegation she denied. 

Fourteen students, whose hair were allegedly cut by the professor, sat on hunger strike on Wednesday, reported BD24 news portal. As their condition worsened, the authorities rushed them to a nearby hospital. 

The protest, however, grew when one of the victims, who felt humiliated by the incident, tried to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills. The university administration set up an inquiry committee to probe the incident and the CCTV footage confirmed the incident. 

Authorities also declared the university closed indefinitely in order to calm down the ongoing students' agitation, said Professor Md Abdul Latif, who is acting vice-chancellor of the university. The teacher was temporarily suspended. 

The teacher was also forced to resign from three administrative posts she held on Tuesday. 

Farhana, the accused teacher, however, denied any such incidents happened. “Nothing like this happened,” she said, adding, “I was surprised to see it in the newspapers.”

(SAM)