Investigative Committee finds evidence of harassment against UR teacher

The Inquiry Committee has found partial evidence on allegations of sexual harassment by two students against Professor Bishnu Kumar Adhikary of the Institute of Education and Research (IER) at Rajshahi University (UK).

The university administration, in a punitive action, suspended his four-year raise and promotion at the union’s 514th meeting on Sunday night, May 29.

Union member and assistant professor of law at RU Sadiqul Islam said the inquiry committee concluded that the sexual and mental harassment allegations of the two students were partly true.

He added that Bishnu Adhikary was also warned in a letter officially on behalf of the university administration.

Two students from the IER department had sent letters to the university authority in 2019, complaining about Bishnu’s conduct. A three-member body was then formed to investigate the allegations.

Bishnu was also temporarily suspended from all academic activities.

Later, the victims filed separate General Logs (GD) with Motihar Police Station on June 28 this year. They were reportedly pressured to withdraw the complaint.

A human chain formed on July 1, 2019 demanding immediate action and exemplary punishment of the accused.