Petrol poured on principal’s office door at Purbadhala Government College

An attempt was allegedly made to set fire to the principal’s office at Purbadhala Government College in Netrakona after petrol was poured on the office door early Sunday (October 4). The college’s security guard said two helmet-wearing men carried out the incident around 3am and fled when he approached them.

Mafiz Uddin, 55, who was on night guard duty at the college, said he saw the two men pouring petrol on the principal’s office door and setting it on fire. When he moved towards them, they fled the scene, after which he put out the fire with water.

A petrol bottle was later found lying in front of the door. Some parts of the door were blackened in the incident, while the people involved could not immediately be identified. No CCTV footage could be examined as the college’s surveillance cameras were not working.

The incident comes amid tension at Purbadhala Government College over demands for the removal and trial of Vice-Principal Md Anwarul Haque Ratan and the appointment of a new principal. Current and former students held a protest on the college premises around 10am on Sunday, demanding action against the vice-principal and appointment of a new principal.

The dispute intensified following a recent appointment of a new principal. Professor Mohammad Akbar Ali joined Purbadhala Government College as principal on September 30, but the Education Ministry cancelled his transfer and posting order the following day.

According to a notification issued on October 1 by the Government College-2 branch of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry, the relevant part of the September 27 notification transferring and posting Professor Mohammad Akbar Ali, a professor of chemistry, as principal of Purbadhala Government College was cancelled for administrative reasons.

Professor Mohammad Akbar Ali had been appointed principal of the college on September 27 and joined the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) on September 28 based on the order. He later arrived at the college around 2:30pm on September 30 and formally took charge, but the order cancelling his posting was issued the next day, triggering discussion among teachers, students and local residents.

Established in 1969 as Purbadhala Degree College, the institution was nationalised on August 8, 2018. Since its nationalisation, Vice-Principal Md Anwarul Haque Ratan has been serving as acting principal for nearly eight years.

The dispute over the acting principal has continued to fuel tension on the college premises, with students demanding his removal and trial as well as the appointment of a new principal.

Purbadhala Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdullah Al Mamun said police were sent to the college after receiving information about the incident that night. He said there was no significant damage, with only a small black mark visible on the door where something resembling a fire had been seen.

No one has yet taken legal action over the incident, the OC said, adding that police are looking into the matter and an investigation is underway. He said there is a dispute between two groups at the college over the change of principal, with one group supporting the current acting principal and the other demanding his replacement and the appointment of a new principal.

The OC said those involved in the incident have not yet been identified. Police have received information about two unidentified people allegedly involved, but their identities have not yet been confirmed.