Shame on you, Professor

IT was utterly shocking to read the news of a young lady from Malaysia who escaped from Bangladesh out of fear of being sexually harassed.

She went to Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) to study Veterinary Medicine. Her dream and aspiration ended with an allegation of sexual harassment by a Professor at BAU.

On September 25, the Malaysian student complained of sexual harassment allegedly against Professor Harun ar Rashid of the Department of Agricultural Economics to the Vice Chancellor of BAU, to the Malaysian High Commission, and police - and being frightened silently left the country.

What else could she do but escape silently and secretly? She has every reason to be scared and mentally devastated living alone without relatives and friends in Bangladesh.

The alleged Professor Harun ar Rashid even threatened her not to file a complaint.

The alleged professor - her neighbour - was reported to send unnecessary messages and enter her house at odd times to harass her sexually. Through the kitchen window, he was reported to show his private parts to the accuser.

The BAU authorities formed a five-member investigation committee immediately after the allegations and asked to submit its report by this week. If the said complaint is considered an offense under the Penal Code or any other prevailing law upon investigation, then the BAU authority will send the matter to the appropriate Court or Tribunal.

If proven guilty, the accused will lose his job and will be in jail for a few years. Then what?

Will that young lady be able to restore her dream to become what she wanted to pursue for her career? Will the people forgive Bangladesh for such a hideous act on one of their citizens? Will any other Malaysian citizen ever consider BAU or any other university to pursue their higher education? Those are the questions that came to my mind immediately after reading the shocking news.

This is the country where I was born. Once known as the host of the Oxford of the East that is still standing as Dhaka University - the country was the host of many notable Malaysians.

For many years, hundreds if not thousands of Malaysians pursued their higher education in various fields such as Medicine, Dentistry, and Agriculture in Bangladeshi universities. Indeed political fascism for many years in Bangladesh has crippled the potential prosperity of the ill-fated nation in many directions.

Everything from money laundering, corruption, and distortion to extrajudicial killing went beyond the unprecedented level. Moral decadence in the society was not left alone.

A lack of the rule of law turned a section of the people in the country outrageous, violent, and reckless - many of whom have been holding positions with high social status.

Only one professor being accused of sexual harassment might be just the tip of the iceberg. Nothing less than that is expected in that country where a Vice Chancellor of a university or Principal of a college were accused of bribing the ruling political leaders to get the position.

Shame on you all!

What is urgently needed is a strict unbiased implementation of the rule of law against any accused irrespective of their status and identity. But that is not happening even after the students and mass uprising where thousands sacrificed their lives to free the country from 15 years long fascism.

It has been almost two months since Dr Muhammad Yunus, who has a global reputation as a financial savoir, was given the ruling authority as the Chief Advisor of the interim Government of the country after the fall of Fascist Hasina Government.

Will Dr Muhammad Yunus be able to bring back the glory of the nation?

Professor Dr Mohammad Tariqur Rahman Deputy Executive Director International Institute of Public Policy & Management (INPUMA) Universiti Malaya. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Sinar Daily.