Turkish university rector bulldozes EU-sponsored seed field in Denizli

Duvar English 

Following the orders of the university's rector, a field harvesting local seeds and plants at Pamukkale University in the province of Denizli was recently bulldozed. 

The field, which was created with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and the EU, was bulldozed for the purpose of creating a social facility. Students assembled in front of the bulldozers for the purpose of saving the field. 

Among those also occupying the field in an effort to save it were Professors Ali Ramazan Alan and Fevziye Çelebi Toprak, from the Plant Genetics and Agricultural Biotechnology Application and Research Center (BİYOM). 

Following the orders from rector Hüseyin Bağ, Alan and Çelebi stood in front of the bulldozer, stating “there is a massacre of science here being committed at the hand of the rector.” 

The rector had initially signed off on the project and the opening ceremony was conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture. The professors said that in spite of their efforts they were not able to stop the bulldozers.

Pamukkale University rector Hüseyin Bağ was the subject of controversy in 2018 when he appointed his own wife Derya Bağ as the secretary of the university's Islamic Studies department. 

Following the orders of rector Hüseyin Bağ, a field harvesting local seeds and plants at Pamukkale University in the province of Denizli was recently bulldozed. The field, which was created with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and the EU, was bulldozed for the purpose of creating a social facility. Students assembled in front of the bulldozers to save the field.