HC orders suspension of 5 IU students, removal of hall provost

The High Court (HC) has ordered the authorities of Islamic University (IU) to suspend five leader and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League who were found involved in the torture and humiliation of a first-year student at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus.

At the same time, the court also asked the university authorities to remove Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall provost Shamsul Alam.

An HC bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Raziq Al Jalil issued the directives on Wednesday (March 1).

The five suspended students are- vice president of IU unit Bangladesh Chhatra League Sanjida Chowdhury Antara of Statistics Department, activists Tabassum Islam of Finance and Banking Department, Israt Zahan Meem of Law Department, Halima Khatun Urmi of Fine Arts Department, Moabiya of Finance and Banking Department.

The five suspended students won’t be allowed to take part in the academic activists of the university and cannot stay on the campus, the court said.

Besides, the court asked the IU authorities to allot a dormitory to Fulpori Khatun as per her choice within three days.

Advocate Gazi Md Mohsin stood for the writ petitioner and advocate Shah Manjurul Haque stood for Islamic University while deputy attorney general Tushar Kanti Roy represented the state.

On Tuesday, the judicial inquiry committee formed to probe the torture on Fulpori Khatun, a first-year student of Banking and Finance Department of the university, found that the girl was tortured brutally and inhumanly and the university authorities failed to act properly.

It also found the five students responsible for the incident.

The report was submitted before High Court bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Raziq Al Jalil.

The university proctor also showed negligence and indifference in discharging his duties, said the report.

On February 12, Fulpori was tortured and humiliated by Islamic University unit of BCL vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Antara and her cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia.

The incident came to light after the victim left the hall and disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members the next day.

The BCL leader also threatened that she would release the video on social media if the student discloses the matter to anyone, according to the complainant.

The student lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment of those involved in the incident on February 14.