A lecturer at a medical school in Bangladesh has been suspended, two days after allegedly shooting and injuring a student in a classroom.
Raihan Sharif was arrested shortly afterward but was only suspended on Wednesday following a protest by students from the medical college where the incident took place.
The injured student has undergone surgery and remains hospitalized.
Dr. Sharif has been taken into police custody.
The BBC is unable to reach him for comment until he is assigned a lawyer.
Local media reports that Arafat Amin Tomal, a 23-year-old student at a medical college in Sirajganj, north-western Bangladesh, got into an argument with Dr. Sharif while undertaking an oral exam on Monday.
During the exam, Dr. Sharif allegedly brought out a gun and pointed it at the student, shooting him in the right knee, reports say.
The bullet reportedly struck Mr. Amin’s mobile phone, which was in the pocket of his trousers, potentially saving him from life-threatening injuries, according to Bangladeshi newspaper the Daily Star, citing the police.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, there were 45 students in the class when the alleged incident occurred. They quickly came to Mr. Amin’s aid, confined the teacher to a room, and alerted the police.
Dr. Sharif was subsequently arrested and taken into custody. In a statement, the police asserted that Dr. Sharif “shot the student with an illegal pistol.”
Authorities reported confiscating his firearm, along with a second pistol, 81 rounds of ammunition, four magazines, two knives, and 10 daggers purportedly discovered in his bag.
Furthermore, police disclosed that Dr. Sharif had allegedly been known to carry weapons to the school, which he would apparently exhibit during lectures.
The incident has rattled Bangladesh and elicited widespread condemnation over the teacher’s suspension occurring two days after the alleged incident, despite his arrest by the police.
His suspension was prompted by a protest staged by students at the medical school, who demanded his immediate dismissal and severe punishment. The police announced the formation of a special committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
