IU, Kushtia, Mar 04: Authorities of the Islamic University suspended five of its students on Saturday, including a leader and four activists of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, after their involvement in torturing a first-year student of the finance and banking department was found.
The victim, however, demanded the permanent expulsion of the accused. She threatened to file a case if her demand was not met.
The decision was made in an emergency meeting of the university’s student disciplinary committee on the campus, with IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair.
IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman, treasurer Professor M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya, proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad, and acting registrar HM Ali Hasan were present, among others, in the meeting.
Earlier, the victim returned to the campus with her father amid tight security in the morning, and authorities relocated her from the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall to Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall following the High Court order.
The university authorities issued show-cause notices to Ontora and her four associates, asking them to submit their responses within seven working days.
On February 12 night, a group of BCL activists, led by Ontora, went to the victim’s room and allegedly tortured her at the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall.
Ontora, at one stage, Ontora forced the victim to get undressed and videoed the incident on her mobile phone.
On February 14, the victim lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and hall provost, demanding punishment of those involved in the incident.
Two probe bodies formed by the Islamic University authorities to look into the matter submitted their reports on February 26.
The Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall administration expelled the accused on February 27.
Based on an investigation by the Kushtia district administration, the High Court on Wednesday ordered the university authorities to suspend the five female students.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the order following a writ petition filed on February 16.
The IU authorities in Kushtia also removed Shamsul Alam, the provost of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, from his post following the direction of the High Court.
