DU looking for 29 militant suspects

After expelling six students, Dhaka University authorities are looking for another 29 students of Business Faculty for their alleged involvement with the banned Islamist outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The Syndicate on Sunday expelled the six for life for distributing the outfit's CDs and leaflets on the campus.

The outlawed outfit is trying to strengthen its position at DU as well as some private universities in the capital. Sources say members of the outfit are secretly or sometimes even openly campaigning on the campus.

The leaders and activists of Hizb ut-Tahrir are mainly targeting students of a number of selected departments like those of the Business Faculty. The sources say some former and current students of this faculty spend huge sum for their organisational campaigning.

Speaking anonymously, a student of management said, "They make friendly relations with the targeted students, especially the freshers, and provoke them to join their discussion."

Sometimes they distribute leaflets, books, CDs to not only students but also their teachers.

In July last year, the proctorial team held Muhammad Sulaiman, a student of Business Faculty, and found a list of 26 students of the same faculty.

"We are looking for 29 students of the faculty. The list shows only nicks and pseudonyms. But as the names of their departments and batches are also listed, we are hopeful of identifying them," Proctor M Amzad Ali told The Daily Star.

Of the students, 11 are from marketing, eight from management information system, four from finance, four from accounting and two from management.

"Two smart-looking persons tried to engage me in discussion on Islamic rules as I am a religious person. After talking with them for several days, they urged me to join their group," said a student of marketing asking not to be identified.

In July last year, the university administration identified five of its expelled students after verifying video footages of CCTV cameras installed at the Business Faculty.