Bangladesh High Court asks varsity to expel 5 students over ragging incident

Dhaka, March 1 (IANS) The Bangladesh High Court on Wednesday asked the Islamic University in Kushtia to expel five of its students over a ragging incident.

The five students are Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora, Tabassum Islam and Maobiya from the finance and banking department; Halima Khatun Urmi of the fine arts department; and Israt Jahan Mim of the law department.

The court also directed the university to relieve Deshratno Sheikh Hasina Hall Provost Shamsul Alam, the house tutor, and several others of their duties in connection to the incident that took place on February 12.

The court order came following an inquiry report submitted by a judicial inquiry committee that found the involvement of six people in the incident and said that the hall provost and house tutor totally failed to perform their responsibilities.

The committee said that the victim, Fulpori Khatun, who is also a student of Islamic University, had been tortured brutally and inhumanly and the university authorities failed to act properly.

The university proctor also showed negligence and indifference in discharging his duties, according to the report.

It also said that after being tortured, the victim was forced to sign a bond.

The incident came to light a day after she disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members.