Another first-year student at Islamic University alleges torture by BCL activists

A student, at the Development Studies department of Islamic University in Kushtia, has said that he was tortured and humiliated by a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists at Lalon Shah Hall of the university early Tuesday.

Yash Rohan is a first-year student of the university. He lodged a written complaint on Tuesday afternoon with the university Proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad and student advisor Professor Shelina Nasrin, seeking punishment of the accused involved in the incident.

According to the written complaint, Rohan was staying at the “gono room” of the university’s Lalon Shah Hall since admission.

A group of BCL’s IU unit activists, including Fine Arts department’s second-year students Afif Hasan and Tonmoy Biswas, called him to room 136 of the hall early Tuesday, Rohan said. They are apparently supporters of BCL’s IU unit General-Secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy.

Afif, Tonmoy and others, at one stage, tortured him both physically and psychologically, Rohan said. The victim suffered ragging and assault, the complaint added.

Rohan, however, withdrew the complaint filed with IU proctor and student advisor on Wednesday.

He could not be reached over phone despite repeated attempts for his comment in this regard.

BCL’s IU unit General-Secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy said that he settled the issue between his supporters and Rohan. The latter withdrew his complaint, said Joy.

Many students said that ragging incidents happened repeatedly at the university as the administration failed to take stern action against the accused involved.

IU Proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad said that he received a written complaint from the victim at the eleventh hour on Tuesday. They were looking into the matter, he said, adding that the victim withdrew his complaint as the issue was settled between the accused and him.

Earlier, on February 12 this year, a first-year female student of the Finance and Banking department at IU was reportedly tortured and intimidated by BCL’s IU unit vice-president Sanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her associates in Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the university campus.

The incident caused massive protests at Islamic University as well as other educational institutions across the country.