Dhaka University teachers remanded to four days police custody

Dhaka, Aug 25 (UNI) Dhaka University (DU)'s senior teachers Prof Anwar Hossain and Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, who were arrested on Thursday midnight were produced before a court here today, which remanded them to four days police custody.

Police brought charges of violating the emergency rules, issuing provocative statements and instigating indiscipline against the two academicians. Prof Hossain, who is the general secretary of Dhaka University Teachers Association and Dean of Social Science Faculty Prof Harun-ur-Rashid were arrested by intelligence, a day after indefinite curfew was imposed to contain teacher-student protests against the emergency.

The army-backed caretaker government shut down all universities and colleges in six divisional cities, including Dhaka, for an indefinite period in the wake of anti-government demonstrations.

The intelligence agency also arrested three senior teachers of Rajshahi University on similar ground on Thursday but they were not yet produced before the court.

Under the emergency rules, political activities, rallies and processions are banned. The emergency was declared on January 11 to quell political turmoil over an abortive general election.

Witnesses said troops today patrolled the deserted campus of Dhaka University to maintain peace.

Meanwhile, public life has started returning to normalacy in capital as the authorities eased curfew for 17 hours from 0600 hrs.

The curfew will be re-imposed from 2300 hrs UNI