Islamic University: Victim of BCL torture returns to campus

The female student of finance and banking department of Islamic University in Kushtia, who was allegedly tortured by leaders and activists of the university's Bangladesh Chhatra League unit, student wing of the ruling Awami League, returned to the university under tight security as per the High Court's directive on Saturday.

She returned to the campus along with her parents five days after she had been tortured and intimidated by IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts at the Sheikh Hasina Hall on February 12.

A police van carrying the student arrived on the campus at around 12:30pm. She was taken directly to the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall to testify in front of the enquiry committee appointed by the university.

She was later interviewed by the probe committee formed by the hall authorities and the university administration respectively from 1:00pm-4:00pm.

Islamic University police station officer-in-charge Annur Jayed Biplob told UNB that additional police personnel were deployed on the campus for the security of the student.

She left the campus after her meeting with the investigation committees, the OC added.

Earlier, IU BCL unit vice-president and residential student Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora called the girl to her room on February 9.

A group of BCL activists led by Ontora and her cohort Tabassum of the finance and banking department went to the room of the victim and misbehaved with her as the victim did not meet with Ontora because of her illness on Saturday night.

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Later, Ontora along with her cohorts assaulted and tortured her both physically and mentally. Ontora, at one stage, forced the victim to get undressed and videoed the ‘ragging’ incident on her mobile phone.

Ontora threatened that she would make the video viral on social media if the victim disclosed the matter to anyone, the complaint also said. All in all, her ordeal is said to have lasted over 4 hours.

The victim lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment for those involved in the incident on February 14.

A writ petition was also filed by Gazi Mohammad Mohsin, an alumnus of the university and a lawyer, with the HC on Thursday.

The HC ordered the accused to leave the hall and the university to look into the matter seriously, and submit a report in this regard within the next 10 days.

Alongside the committee appointed by the university, the HC also asked the deputy commissioner of the district to form a separate committee to further enquire into the incident, and submit a report in the next seven days.

Source: United News of Bangladesh