4 students accuse DU teacher of  sexual abuse   

At least four female students have lodged written complaints of sexual harassment with Dhaka University (DU) authorities against Applied Mathematics Department Prof Mohammad Ferdows.

In this regard, a three-member facts finding committee was formed in the Syndicate meeting of the university held on March 31, with Vice-Chancellor Prof ASM Maksud Kamal in the chair.

One of the committee members told the Daily Observer that the findings of the committee will be submitted to the Vice-Chancellor by this week.
Law Faculty Dean Prof Shima Zaman is the chief of the committee while the other members are Syndicate Member Prof Md Masudur Rahman and Assistant Proctor Sanchita Guha.

Associate Prof of Sanskrit Sanchita Guha said that those who filed the complaints are students of different departments of the university.

However, she denied disclosing the findings.

Asked if any investigation committee would be formed following the submission of the facts finding committees report, she replied, "It will be decided by the university authorities."

"If the university authorities find the necessity of forming a probe body, they will do that. We are just doing the assigned tasks," she told this correspondent. Despite calls over the phone, this correspondent could not reach other facts finding committee members for their comments.

Contacted, Prof Ferdows said, "The facts finding committee is currently working on it. So, I have no comment on it now. Ill send my responses to the university authorities whenever they ask for it."