The authorities of Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR) yesterday suspended 56 students for various terms over alleged attack on fellow students and involvement in the killing of Abu Sayed during the quota reform protests in July last year.

Additionally, the university also endorsed a recommendation by its disciplinary committee for legal action against 15 former students for their role in the violence.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Shawkat Ali announced the decisions at a press conference after presiding over the 109th syndicate meeting of the BRUR.

Out of the 56 students, 33 were suspended for two semesters, while 23 others for one semester.

VC Shawkat said the disciplinary committee found evidence that these students were involved in the attacks on other students who took part in the student movement.

He also said show cause notices were sent to the teachers, officials, and staff members involved in the attack; however, they did not respond.

"The syndicate has endorsed taking action against them. A decision regarding their dismissal will be made in the upcoming syndicate meeting," he added.

Abu Sayed, a 12th-batch student of the English department at BRUR, was one of the coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Students' Movement and actively participated in the protests against the government's decision to reinstate quotas in government jobs

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NCTB prints wrong date for Abu Sayed's death in textbook

On July 16, last year, while protesting in front of his university campus, an unarmed Sayed, who posed no apparent threat, was shot dead by police from close range -- an incident that later became a symbol of the protest that eventually ousted the Awami League government.

An image of Sayed standing with his arms outstretched in the face of police firing, moments before he was shot, went viral and sparked widespread protests. His killing led to national mourning and a public outcry for justice.

On August 18, Ramzan Ali, Sayed's elder brother, filed a case naming 17 people as responsible for the killing. The case is currently being investigated by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI). Among the 17 accused, 14—including the former DIG of Rangpur Range and the former Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner—were banned from leaving the country.