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Soheli Akter, a lecturer in the Home Science department at Nandangachi Degree College in Charghat upazila, Rajshahi, has been suspended following student demonstrations. The protests erupted over a Facebook post she shared on August 15, which included a photograph of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accompanied by a message of respect.

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We noticed the post last night. Following that, amid protests by students at the college today, she was suspended in haste. All the teachers were present there.

College authorities confirmed the suspension occurred amid student protests on Tuesday. Wahedul Islam, the principal of Nandangachi Degree College, told The Daily Star that the post was noticed the previous night, and the suspension was a swift action taken in response to the student demonstrations. He noted that all teachers were present during the events.

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Procedures will be followed and everything will be done soon.

Principal Islam admitted that the college did not issue a show-cause notice to Akter before suspending her, stating that procedural steps would be completed soon. He explained the suspension was due to the act of posting a photograph of someone associated with a "banned organization" in such a manner, which he deemed prohibited.

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For this reason, she has been temporarily suspended.

Akter, however, stated she had not received any formal communication from the college regarding the suspension. She learned about it through Facebook and news portals. Defending her post, she asserted that expressing respect for Bangabandhu on August 15 was not wrong and strongly protested the characterization of her action as treason. She mentioned that when she called the principal, he advised her not to come to college due to potential trouble, and she complied.

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I have only seen it on Facebook and news portals throughout the day. The college has not informed me by phone either.