Another sexual harassment complaint filed against DU prof Naadir Junaid

Another sexual harassment complaint has been filed against Professor Naadir Junaid of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University, who is currently on a three-month forced leave following the first official complaint filed against him.

A former student of Bangladesh University of Professionals filed the complaint with proctor office this morning, said DU Proctor Prof Md Maksudur Rahman.

"Previously, I received the complaint by e-mail and then received a physical copy this morning. I forwarded a copy of the complaint to the Vice-chancellor's office," said the proctor.

The student alleged the DU prof of sexual harassment and prolonged psychological abuse in the letter.

The written complaint reads, "Naadir Junaid was our guest faculty and as a class representative I had to keep contact with him for academic purposes. But he used to call me in between 10:00pm-12:00am and tried to continue the calls for hours even though I was very uncomfortable."

The teacher tried to pursue her in phone calls of sexual nature, and questioned if something was wrong with her as she didn't show interest, she wrote; which reflects a pattern of behaviour that was also mentioned in the first official complaint against him.

She also alleged that the teacher used to ask her personal questions about her female classmates.

She also mentioned the repercussion she had to face if she tried to avoid him, saying, "Whenever I tried to avoid him or showed indifference, every time I fell victim to his reaction and insults in the classroom."

She also wrote, the teacher approached another classmate of her and few others in the department where he was a guest teacher.

Prof Naadir Junaid couldn't be reached for a comment despite several attempts. 

Earlier, a female student of Dhaka University's Mass Communication and Journalism department filed a sexual complaint against DU prof. Naadir Junaid on 10 February. 

Following this, the students of the department boycotted all academic activities and hung locks on the door of classrooms and the office of Naadir Junaid demanding justice.

On 11 February, another female student of the same department filed a complaint against the prof. Naadir Junaid of trying to cover up sexual harassment allegation against a student of the same department. 

On the face of the students' protest, the DU administration sent the Prof to three months' forced leave.