IU fresher alleges ragging by BCL leader, her associates

A first year female student of Islamic University on Tuesday submitted a written complaint against a Chhatra League leader and her associates for ragging her, stripping her clothes off and filming the incident on mobile phones.

The student also claimed that she was threatened by the BCL leader that her video would be spread if any complaint is logged against them to administration.

The victim, a student of 2021-22 session of Banking and Finance department of the university, submitted the complaint to IU Proctor Prof Dr. Shahadat Hossain Azad and student counselor Prof Dr. Shelina Nasreen, accusing Sanjida Chowdhury Antara, vice-president of Islamic University’s BCL unit and a student of the university’s Statistics Department (2078-18), her associate Tabassum, of the same department, and 7 to 8 unidentified ones seeking justice for physical and mental harassment.

In the written complaint, the victim said, “On February 07, I went to Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall’s 306 no room as a guest of my one close senior because my semester final was near. On February 9, I was asked to meet one of a senior students named Tabassum, but I could not go as I was sick. From then, they started attacking me, misbehaved with me threatened me to throw out of the hall.”

“They repeatedly asked me why entered the hall without informing them. Despite my answer that I went to the hall as a guest they took me to a common room on Sunday night and started beating me, they slapped me and hurled abusive words”, said the victim in the complaint letter.

“At one stage, they asked me to takeoff my clothes. As I didn’t agree, they started beating me again and took off my clothes, forcibly and filmed it. They also threatened me to make me feed of dog and spread those videos if I give any complaint against them,” she wrote.

However, accused Sanjida Chowdhury Antara denied the allegation and said, “Nothing like this happened. Rather a brother known to that student threatened to pick me up on phone.”

Professor Dr. Shamsul Alam, provost of the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, said, “Some students complained that a first year girl misbehaved with some seniors. Later I and the members of the proctorial body settled the matter together. But no one said anything about what happened to her afterwards. If we receive a written complaint, the hall authorities will look into the matter and take action.”

Prof Dr. Sheikh Abdus Salam, Vice Chancellor of the university, said that ragging is unexpected in the university.

The matter will be investigated in detail and action will be taken, said the Vice Chancellor.

Source: United News of Bangladesh