Torture of Phulpori: HC orders IU to suspend 5 students

The High Court yesterday ordered the Islamic University to suspend the five students who tortured a female student at a dorm in mid-February.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil also asked the university to withdraw Prof Shamsul Alam from the post of provost at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall as he did not do anything to prevent the incident.

Officials of the university in Kushtia said the provost was withdrawn yesterday evening.

A university disciplinary committee meeting, required to suspend any student, will be held on Saturday, said Proctor Shadat Hossain Azad.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Chhatra League yesterday expelled the five students from the organisation.

Of the students, Sanjida Chowdhury Antora was the Chhatra League vice president at the university while Halima Akhtar Urmi, Ishrat Jahan Mim, Tabassum Islam, and Mawabia Jahan were activists.

Phulpori Khatun, a first-year non-resident student, on February 14 alleged that Sanjida and several others tortured her for hours on the night of February 12 for staying at the dorm without their permission.

The HC also asked the university to allocate a seat for Phulpori at any dormitory of her choice and to provide safety to those who witnessed the torture.

Law enforcers were asked to provide security to Phulpori, seize Urmi's phone in which the incident of torture was filmed, and to submit the footage to the court.

The HC ordered the university to take steps in accordance with the inquiry reports submitted by the probe committees formed after the incident.

The vice-chancellor was ordered to submit a report to the court after complying with the directives by May 8 when further orders will be issued on the matter.

Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy was asked to contact Phulpori and to tell her to return to the university and resume her academic activities.

Writ petitioner Gazi Md Mohsin was asked to observe the situation at the university and move a prayer before the court if necessary.

While issuing the orders, the HC bench expressed serious concerns over incidents that include physical and mental torture on students in the name of "ragging" at educational institutions, especially the universities.

Terming the incident of torture in the name of ragging as a criminal offence, the HC ordered stopping such activities at academic institutions.

"We noticed in the media that some unruly students, using their political identities, are taking part in untoward incidents at dormitories of educational institutions. They are tarnishing the glorious history of student politics and the political parties," the HC bench said.

"History teaches us that student politics is needed. But the disobedient students harm the academic environment and even breach the rules of the political parties. This is alarming and all should remain cautious about it."

On Tuesday, Tushar placed two probe reports before the HC bench, saying that inquiry committees found Chhatra League activists' involvement in torturing Phulpori.

One of the committees found serious negligence on the part of the university authorities in dealing with the incident.

The probe committee formed by the university said that the torture was planned and Sanjida Chowdhury was its mastermind.

The other probe body said the hall provost and others did not take any steps to prevent such incidents. The university proctor was also indifferent, it added.

The university and the hall authorities separately formed two probe bodies to look into the incident.

After Gazi Md Mohsin filed the writ petition on February 16, the court directed the DC of Kushtia to constitute a three member-committee to probe the incident and to submit the probe report to it.

On Monday, the five Chhatra League activists lost their dormitory seats.

[Our correspondent in Kushtia contributed to the report.]