A teacher from Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) has been permanently expelled following allegations of sexual harassment. The decision was made during the university’s 73rd Regent Board meeting on Saturday (July 26), but the matter came to public attention on Monday (July 28).The expelled teacher, Subrata Kumar Biswas, was an assistant professor in the Department of Social Work.
According to sources, Subrata Kumar Biswas was involved in a long-term romantic relationship with a postgraduate student from the same department. The relationship reportedly turned physical with promises of marriage. However, Subrata later refused to marry the student. On September 22 of the previous year, the student lodged a sexual harassment complaint against him with the department’s chairperson. On September 23, the university’s Academic Council formed an investigation committee to probe the allegations. On October 9, the committee recommended suspending Subrata from all academic activities in a letter to the registrar.
Subsequently, the university’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell conducted a higher-level investigation and found the allegations to be true. Based on their findings, they recommended Subrata Kumar Biswas’s permanent expulsion in accordance with the “Policy Against Sexual Harassment and Oppression in Higher Education Institutions-2008.”
Efforts to contact Subrata Kumar Biswas for comment were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.
Commenting on the matter, PUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. S. M. Abdul Awal stated, “The Regent Board decided to permanently expel a teacher from the university. This decision was made in accordance with the law.”
