Rabindra University teacher who cut students’ hair steps down from 3 posts

Farhana Yasmin Baten, the teacher accused of cutting the hair of 16 students forcibly, has stepped down from three posts at Rabindra University in Sirajganj.

She resigned as the chairman of Department of Cultural Heritage and Bangladesh Studies, assistant proctor, and a member of the proctorial board.

"Farhana Yasmin stepped down from the posts permanently. A five-member committee has also been formed to look into the hair cutting incident," said Abdul Latif, vice-chancellor and treasurer of the university on Wednesday morning.

The probe committee has been asked to submit a report within the next seven days, he added.

However, the students have threatened to go on a hunger strike demanding the permanent removal of the teacher.

According to the students, Farhana Yasmin had previously told the male students to trim long hair. On 26 September, she was standing with scissors in front of an examination hall where first year students sat for the final examination. She stopped the students whose hair was long. Later, she cut the hair of 16 students at the entrance. 

The teacher then verbally abused and humiliated the students inside the examination hall as well. The incident went viral when the victim students posted about it on Facebook in protest.

However, Farhana Yasmin called Nazmul Hasan Tuhin, one of the protesting students, to her chamber. She insulted him and threatened to expel him permanently from the university.

After facing the humiliation, Tuhin tried to commit suicide by taking sleeping pills in his room at Shah Makhdum Hall the following day. He was then rescued and taken to hospital in critical condition. He is currently undergoing treatment at Enayetpur Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College.

The incident agitated fellow students. They staged a protest on the university campus till late night of 27 September and resumed the demo the next day.

Farhana could not be reached for comments over the incident.