Torture of Phulpori IU expels 5 students permanently
IU Correspondent :
The University (IU) authorities have permanently expelled five leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League of Islamic University unit who were involved in torturing a first-year student of Finance and Banking department of the university.
The decision was taken from an emergency syndicate meeting of the university on Monday noon, IU acting registrar H M Ali Hassan, confirmed the matter.
The decision will be presented to the court by the university on August 23, he added.
The expelled are Sanjida Chowdhury Antara, student of statistics department and expelled vice-president of Chhatra League, Halima Akhtar Urmi of fine arts department, Israt Jahan Mim of law department, Tabassum Islam and Muabiya Jahan of finance and banking department.
Earlier, on March 1, Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League temporarily expelled these five activists from the organization for their involvement in torture.
On 12 February, The five students were accused of torturing Phulpari Khatun, a student, in the common room of the university’s Deshratma Sheikh Hasina Hall and recording a video.
When the news of this incident came to light, Phulpari made a written complaint to the proctor, hall provost and student advisor of the university.
Lawyer Gazi Mohammad Mohsin wrote a writ in the High Court highlighting the incident.
The High Court bench consisting of Justice J B M Hasan and Justice Raziq Al Jalil accepted the writ and sought a written explanation from the lawyer.
Later, when the writ was filed in the court, the High Court gave some instructions to the university authorities besides forming a committee to investigate the incident.
A total of three investigation committees were formed. Of which two university authorities and one committee are formed as per the directions of the High Court.
The High Court directed March 1 to submit the investigation report. Five students were expelled from Islamic University for one year on July 15 following the directions.
In the light of the report of the investigation committee of the university authorities and the judicial inquiry committee formed by the High Court, according to the students’ code of conduct-1987, their studentship was canceled for 12 months, which is the maximum penalty under university law.
During this punishment, they will not be able to participate in any activities of the university including class-exams.
The matter was again brought to the attention of the court by the petitioner lawyer Gazi Md. Mohsin.
He told the court that the disciplinary committee of the Islamic University had suspended the five students in violation of the relevant procedure.
Not the disciplinary committee of the university, but the vice-chancellor of that university can punish a student for any crime.
Consequently, if the validity of this punishment is challenged in court, it will be nullified.
After that, the High Court wanted to know the method by which the five students were temporarily expelled due to torture.