DU students demand withdrawal of honorary doctorate degrees of Pakistani leaders
Bangladesh
Teachers and students of the Linguistics Department of Dhaka University today demanded withdrawal of the honorary Doctor of Laws degrees of former Pakistani autocrat ruler Ayub Khan, president Iskandar Mirza and the pre-liberation premier Khawaja Nazimuddin.
They placed this demand at a sit-in programme at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus.
Professor Dr Shakhawat Ansari of Linguistics Department said, "The aforesaid three persons were given honorary Doctor of Laws degrees and they played a heinous role during the Liberation War when they were in power in undivided Pakistan. So we demand withdrawal of their degrees."
DU will confer honorary Doctor of Laws degree to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman this year.
"So our demand is to withdraw the degrees of these three people before the upcoming convocation," he added.
Iskandar Mirza and Khawaja Nazimuddin were awarded the degrees in 1956, while Ayub Khan received the degree in 1960.
A total of 52 honorary degrees were given to 52 personalities in the history of DU.
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