The High Court today issued a status quo on the termination of three teachers of Khulna University (KU).

The court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of KU and government to explain in four weeks why the termination of three KU teachers should not be declared illegal.

The three teachers are Bangla Discipline's Assistant Professor Abul Fazal, Bangla Discipline's Lecturer Shakila Alam and History and Civilization Discipline's Lecturer Hoymonty Shukla Kabery.

Today, the HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah came up with the order of status quo and rule following a writ petition filed by the three teachers challenging the KU authorities' decision to terminate them.  

Writ petitioner's counsel Jyotirmoy Barua told The Daily Star that his client can run their teaching profession following the HC order of status quo as they have not handed over their responsibility to anybody after they were terminated.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Nawroz MR Chowdhury and Assistant Attorney General Golam Sarwar Pavel told this correspondent that the three teachers cannot continue their teaching profession as the HC has not stayed their termination.   

During hearing on the petition, Jyotirmoy Barua told the HC bench that the KU authorities have terminated his clients from malafide intention and without following any lawful procedures.  

The authorities have taken the decision on January 28 to terminate three KU teachers only for expressing their solidarity with a student movement at the university in 2020, which does not make any offence, he argued.

On January 1, 2020, the KU students staged a demonstration on the campus to press their five-point demands, including the reduction of tuition fees and ensuring accommodation. Some university teachers expressed their solidarity with the movement.

On October 13, 2020, the KU authorities served show cause notices to four teachers, including the trio. In the notice, the KU authorities said that the teachers delivered provocative speeches and spread false information against the university.