Dhaka: Prof. Sirajul Islam Chowdhury on Sunday said the attack on quota reformists is ‘shameful’ and ‘unbelievable’.

The emeritus professor made the remark while addressing a protest march held at Central Shaheed Minar in the city.

The teachers of different public and private universities under the banner of ‘Teachers against repression’ brought out the march demanding punishment to those involved in the attack on the quota reformists and release of the activists of quota reform movement who have been implicated in ‘false’ cases.

The protesting teachers paraded road stretch from the central library of Dhaka University to Central Shaheed Minar around 11:50 am.

More than 30 teachers from Dhaka University (DU), Jahangirnagar University (JU), Jagannath University, University of Liberal Arts (ULAB), Stamford University, and Independent University took part in the march.

Addressing the march Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said “The attack on quota reformists should not be accepted in anyway. They have a logical demand and it’s a popular one also. Government also accepted students’ demand. But recently, the quota reformists were assaulted by some people across the country while staging their scheduled programme.”

“These types of attacks never happened in our country, even in Pakistani and British period. It’s incredible and unbelievable. In an independent country we can’t think of these types of attacks. We condemn these attacks and demand the assaulters’ punishment,” he added.

Criticising the role of DU administration, Prof Asif Nazrul of Law Department said, “We saw in many times that the university administration and teachers association supported students in any logical movement. But during quota movement they didn’t give any support to the students. Even they didn’t try to help the injured students.”

Conducted by DU International Relations Associate Prof Tanzimuddin Khan, DU former Prof Akmal Hussain, Development Studies Department Prof Kazi Maruful Islam, and English Department Associate Prof Tasneem Siraj Mahboob also addressed the rally.

The teachers also placed their five-point demand which was read out by Geeti Ara Nasrin, a professor of DU Mass Communication and Journalism Department.

The demands are - to ensure punishment of all attackers, withdrawal of false case against students, to bear the treatment cost of injured protesters by the government, to ensure punishment of the men who harassed a female protester and to publish gazette notification of quota reform.