The High Court on Wednesday ordered the Islamic University authorities to suspend its five female students who were found involved in the torture and humiliation of a first year student at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus. The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil passed the order. The court also asked the university authorities to remove the provost from the dormitory. The five students are—vice president of IU unit Bangladesh Chhatra League Sanjida Chowdhury Antara of Statistics Department, activists Tabassum Islam of Finance and Banking Department, Israt Zahan Meem of Law Department, Halima Khatun Urmi of Fine Arts Department, Moabiya of Finance and Banking Department. The five suspended students won’t be allowed to take part in the academic activists of the university and cannot stay on the campus, said the court. Besides, it asked the IU authorities to allot Fulpori Khatun  a dormitory as per her choice. Also Read: Torture of Fulpori demonstrates university admin’s failure: Judicial inquiry report Advocate Gazi Md Mohsin stood for the writ petitioner and Advocate Shah Manjurul Haque stood for Islamic University while Deputy Attorney General tushar Kanti Roy represented the state. On Tuesday, the judicial inquiry committee formed to probe the torture on Fulpori Khatun, a first year student of Banking and Finance Department of the university, found that the girl was tortured brutally and inhumanly and the university authorities failed to act properly. It also found the five students responsible for the incident. The report was submitted before High Court bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Raziq Al Jalil The HC bench fixed Wednesday for passing an order in this regard. Also Read: IU students demand expulsion of five BCL activists over torture at dormitory The inquiry committee found their involvement in the incident and said hall provost and house tutor totally failed to perform their responsibilities. The university proctor also showed negligence and indifference in discharging his duties, said the report. Fulpori, a first year student of Finance and Banking department, was tortured and humiliated by Islamic University unit of BCL vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Antara and her cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia on February 12. The incident came to light after the victim left the hall and disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members the next day. The BCL leader also threatened that she would release the video on social media if the student discloses the matter to anyone, according to the complainant. The student lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment of those involved in the incident on February 14. Two probe bodies were formed by the Islamic University authorities and the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall administration after the victim’s complaints to them. The probe bodies submitted their probe reports to the university administration on Sunday. A writ petition was also filed by Gazi Mohammad Mohsin, an alumnus of the university and a lawyer, with the High Court. The Kushtia district administration, meanwhile, formed a three-member inquiry committee, led by additional district magistrate ANM Abujar Gifari, and asked it to submit the inquiry report within seven days following a High Court order on February 20. Accused BCL leader Antara and activist Tabassum left the hall following the High Court order. The five students were expelled from Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on Monday as the hall authorities found their involvement in the assault on Fulpori.      

Students of different departments of Islamic University staged a demonstrations on the campus in Kushtia on Monday night demanding expulsion of five activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League who were found involved in torturing and intimidating a fresher of the university. The students under the banner of Bangladesh Chhatra Union IU unit brought out a torch procession from in front of Jatirpita Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall to press home their demand. The procession ended in front of Zia Moar Chattar after parading main roads of the campus. Later, a brief discussion was held there where the protesters vowed to intensify protest if the university administration fails to take stern action against the accused involved in the ragging incident. Also Read: Torture of Fulpori demonstrates university admin’s failure: Judicial inquiry report They said that the probe body formed by the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall authorities found the involvement of IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora, her cohorts Tabassum Islam, Moyabia Jahan, Israt Jahan Mim and Halima Khatun Urmi in torturing and humiliating Fulpori Khatun, a first year student of Banking and Finance Department, on February12 night. The hall administration expelled the accused from the hall for their involvement in the incident but no action has yet been taken by the university administration despite the probe body formed by them submitted the investigation report on Sunday, they said. They would continue their demonstrations on the campus until their demand is met, IU Bangladesh Chhatra Union unit general secretary Mokhlechur Rahman Sweet said. Among others, IU unit Bangladesh Chhatra Union president Emanul Islam Shohan, its general secretary Sweet and vice-president Mahmudul Hasan spoke at the protest programme.  

A group of former leaders and activists of Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student organisation of  ruling Awami League, staged a demonstration on the campus in Kushtia for the third consecutive day on Wednesday demanding vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam’s resignation. Around 30 ex-BCL leaders and activists of IU went to the Vice-Chancellor’s office and kept it under lock and key in the morning, to press home their demand. The protesters vowed to continue their demonstrations on the campus until their demand was met. Earlier, eight audio clips, three between Oliur, a jobseeker at the Mass Communication and Journalism Department and the VC and two others with an official of a ministry went viral on Facebook that sparked  protest and criticism. Also Read: Ex-BCL men stage demo at IU demanding VC’s resignation In the audio clip, the VC purportedly asked Oliur to collect two other candidates to fulfill the requirement for the department’s recruitment board. According to the audio clips, the VC told Oliur that he, Oliur, failed to write his answer to the question of the recruitment test held on October 25, 2022. He also told him that he was not good at his IQ. Also Read: VC’s leaked audio clips: IU postpones 3 departments’ recruitment process The VC advised him over the phone regarding the recruitment test. He assured Oliur that he did not accept the recruitment policy of the University Grants Commission regarding the requirement process of recruiting teachers at Journalism department. IU BCL unit former organising secretary Rasel Joarder told UNB that the vice-chancellor was a corrupt person the audio conversations between him and the job seeker that went viral on social media proved that. Also Read: HC orders Kushtia DC to probe ragging of a female student at IU On Friday night, IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan filed a general diary with Islamic University police station in this connection.

The authorities of Islamic University in Kushtia have postponed the recruitment process of its three departments following the leak of three audio clips purportedly containing a conversation between the university’s Vice-Chancellor and a job seeker on Facebook. The decision was made at an emergency meeting of the university administration. A press release, signed by IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan, was issued in this regard on Sunday morning. The recruitment tests for the medical officer was scheduled to be held on February 20, for physical education and sports science department on February 22 and for Mass Communication and Journalism Department on February 22. All have been postponed two days after three audio conversations between VC Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam and the job seeker went viral on social media. IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan told UNB that they postponed the recruitment tests of the departments due to unavoidable reasons. The fresh date and time of these recruitment tests would be informed later, he added. Earlier, a total of five audio clips, three between Oliur, a jobseeker at the Mass Communication and Journalism Department and the VC and two others with an official of a ministry went viral on Facebook. In the audio clip, the VC purportedly asked Oliur to collect two other candidates to fulfill the requirement for the department’s recruitment board. Read more: Ex-BCL leaders lock IU VC office demanding resignation According to the audio clips, the VC told Oliur that he, Oliur, failed to write his answer to the question of the recruitment test held on October 25, 2022. He also told him that he was not good at his IQ. The VC advised him over the phone regarding the recruitment test. He assured Oliur that he did not accept the recruitment policy of the University Grants Commission regarding the requirement process of recruiting teachers at Journalism department. IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan filed a general diary with the Islamic University police station in this regard on Friday night. Many senior progressive alliance teachers said that he had no right to share any recruitment test information with anyone as vice-chancellor of the university. The government and ministry concerned should look into the matter. If there was any involvement of the vice-chancellor with the audio clip he should be brought under the law, they added. When contacted, IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam acknowledged that he talked to Oliur who was a part-time teacher in the mass communication department. He, however, denied the allegation brought against him.

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.

A section of Islami University (IU) students carried out a protest rally demanding punishment of a Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activist for allegedly harassing a female student and attacking her male friend on Thursday. The alleged harasser is Mehedi Hasan Hafiz, a student of the 2015-16 session of Political Science department and a follower of BCL IU unit General Secretary Nasim Ahmed Joy. According to eyewitnesses, victim student Popy went to the main gate area of the university with a male friend, where she was interrogated by Hafiz and some of his associates. At one point, Hafiz harassed Popy and beat up her friend. Read: IU student found dead in Meherpur The altercation stemmed from taking control of a hall seat. Using Hafiz’s reference, a student named Sayma got allotted to the room where Popy was living. As Sayma tried to get hold of a window seat, a heated exchange of words ensued between the two, which later resulted in Hafiz’s intervention. Hafiz denied his involvement when asked about the incident. “I don’t know the girl (Popy). An issue arose when a junior student did some foul talk. The allegation of managing the hall seat against me is false and fabricated,” said Hafiz.

Two factions of Bangabandhu Parishad -- the ruling Awami League-backed teachers' alliance -- of Islamic University apparently clashed with each other on the campus in Kushtia on Saturday morning. Witnesses said that there had been a longstanding dispute between the two factions -- Bangabandhu Parishad and Bangabandhu Parishad Teachers' Unit -- over formation of their committees. As a sequel to the dispute, a group of Bangabandhu Parishad teachers, including Prof M Anowar Hossain, Prof M Mahbubul Arfin and assistant proctor Shofiqul Islam, prevented another group from placing wreaths at the university's central monument to mark Independence Day. This led to an apparent clash between the two groups, and members of Bangabandhu Parishad Teachers' Unit were subsequently forced to leave the place. Later, Bangabandhu Parishad Teachers' Unit members formed a human chain in front of the university's Mrittunjoyee Mujib Mural, demanding action against "those involved in the attack". READ: Ex-BCL men threaten to shut IU campus "The attack on our members was pre-planned. We demand action against the perpetrators of the attack. We'll go for stricter movement if the university administration doesn't act," IU Bangabandhu Parishad Teachers' Unit general secretary Prof Tapon Kumar Godder said. Denying the allegation, Prof M Anowar of the other group said that the complainants had actually misbehaved with them. IU proctor Professor M Jahangir Hossain said that they were looking into the matter.

The officials of Islamic University continued abstaining from work for a ninth consecutive day on Sunday on the campus in Kushtia demanding to press home their three point-charter of demands. Around more than two hundred officers from different offices and departments joined in the work abstention programme. They staged a sit-in programme in front of the university's administration building from 9:00am to 2:00pm and chanted different slogans to press home their demands. Also read: In-person classes to resume at IU Tuesday Their demands are- increased pay scale, extension of retirement age from 60 to 62 years and a change in working hours from 8am to 2pm instead of 9am to 4:30pm. Speaking in the protest programme, the officials said that they had been agitating in different times since 2016 to implement their demands. The administration had always stopped the movement with false promises but they did not take any effective decision regarding them. They started abstaining from work for one hour from February 19. To intensify the movement, they started a five-hour strike from Saturday. IU Officers' Association president ATM Emdadul Alam said that the officials of different universities including Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Jahangirnagar had been enjoying the facilities. The IU administration only gave them assurance when they had been agitating for the implementation of their demands.  But they did not take any initiative. Also read:  1,270 seats still vacant at IU They would continue their demonstration until their demands were met, he added. IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said that they had no objection regarding the demands of the officials.  As there had a financial issue here, the issue will have to be through UGC.  They asked UGC to form a committee with their office representatives and initiatives would be taken regarding the officials through a process,' the VC said.

Islamic University (IU) in Kushtia celebrated its 43rd University Day on the campus on Monday, marking its 42th founding anniversary. The day-long celebration began with the unfurling of the national and university flags by IU vice-chancellor Shaikh Abdus Salam and pro vice-chancellor Prof M Mahbubur Rahman, respectively. READ: Ageing bailey bridges turn death traps in hilly Khagrachari roads Teachers, students, officers and employees later brought out a colourful procession led by the VC on the campus. The procession ended in front of Bangla Moncha adjacent to the university’s arts building. Subsequently, a discussion and a cultural programme was held on the campus. Among others, IU treasurer Prof M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya, acting registrar Ataur Rahman, transport administrator Prof M Anowar Hossain, proctor Prof M Jahangir Hossain, and deans and chairpersons of different faculties were present on the occasion. READ: Foundation stones of two halls laid at Islamic University The university began its journey on November 22 in 1979 in Gazipur on a campus currently used by National University.

Islamic University in Kushtia will hold viva voce, an oral examination, from November 28 to 30 for students who have qualified the written test for admission to honours courses of the theology and Islamic studies faculty. The decision was taken at a meeting of the ‘D’ unit admission test committee, chaired by IU vice-chancellor Prof Shaikh Abdus Salam, IU officials said. Also read: IU Day to be celebrated Monday The viva voce will be held on the fourth floor of the Arts faculty building of the university, IU ‘D’ unit coordinator Prof Yaqub Ali said. Eligible students have been asked to carry original SSC and HSC certificates and mark sheets as well as the admit card and eight coloured photos. More information is available at www.iu.ac.bd, he added. Also read: IU Shapla Forum election Saturday