Dhaka: Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) on Tuesday alleged that a vested quarter hatched a conspiracy by spreading rumour over the quota-reform movement to destabilise the university.

It made the allegation at a press conference held at the DU Club at noon.

In a written statement, Prof Muhammad Samad, convener of pro-Awami League teachers’ Blue Panel, said, “Duta had expressed its solidarity with the movement through a press release on April 11. The teachers’ forum also urged the law enforcers not to take action against the protesting students and demanded taking initiatives to ensure their safety.”

But a vested quarter is trying to intrude into the demonstrators capitalising their emotion and spreading rumour to gain their political interests, he said.

Prof Samad also said a group spread the rumour of a protester’s death and on April 10 night, they propagated that a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader of Kabi Sufia Kamal Hall unit severed the tendon of another student of the hall, which was later proved false.

Replying to a query, Sufia Kamal Hall provost Sabita Rezwana Rahman blamed the ‘internal problem’ of a student organisation for the ‘unprecedented incident’ at the dormitory.

She also alleged that a vested quarter had hatched a conspiracy to take advantage of their infighting.

Without mentioning the name of the student body, Prof Sabita said it has already taken action against them.

Duta executive members Prof Zeenat Huda, Prof Aftab Ali Sheikh, Prof Ziaur Rahman and Prof Nizamul Huq Bhuiyan, among others, attended the press conference.