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RU student ‘sexually assaulted’ in town, case filed
A third-year female student of Rajshahi University filed a case on Wednesday afternoon at the city's Boalia Model Police Station claiming she was sexually assaulted at Bashar Road in the Tikapara area of Rajshahi city.
The incident happened on Tuesday morning while she was heading into town for tuition.
Earlier, the victim student lodged a written complaint on Tuesday with the proctor's office of the university in this regard.
The written statement said that a stranger suddenly grasped her from the back, and touched her private parts at Bashar Road in Tikapara area of the city.
The stranger left her when she started screaming, she stated.
In the written statement, the victim student demanded the punishment of the accused and wanted her own safety.
The victim said, “I don't know him personally, but he seemed to be a local. I can clearly identify the man.”
Proctor Professor Ashabul Haque said, “We have already instructed an assistant proctor to assist the victim.”
While contacted, Majharul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Boalia Model Police Station, said, “I don’t want to say anything in this regard because of victim’s safety issues.”
Also read: RU student assaulted ‘by BCL men’
RU BCL leader ‘beats’ student and ‘snatches’ money
Rajshahi University Motihar Hall general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League Vashkar Saha allegedly beat a student and snatched around Tk 20,ooo from him.
Economics department 4th-year student and a residential student of Matihar Hall Shamsul Islam alleged this in a written statement to the student adviser of the university.
According to the statement, Vashkar on 15 August summoned Shamsul and demanded extortion money as he earns his livelihood doing some mobile servicing works in the hall. When he was unable to pay the extortion, the BCL leader asked him to go to his room on Friday afternoon and snatched around 20 thousand taka. Later, he was beaten with a rod and cricket stumps when he told them that he will complain about this to the university authority and the journalists.
He was also threatened that he will be victimized as Abrar of BUET if he complains to anyone about this.
Accused leader Vashkar Saha said to UNB, “No such incident happened with Shamsul what he alleged. I have just talked to Shamsul about servicing two of my juniors' mobile phones.”
Read: Another DU student 'assaulted by BCL leader'
Tareq Nur, student adviser of the university said, “We have been informed about this matter. Legal action will be taken after the investigation.”
Faisal Ahmed Runu, general secretary of BCL of Rajshahi University said, “If the accused is found guilty then our organization will take action against him.”
The victim was not found on the phone call.
RU aspirants' protest: Padma Express leaves Rajshahi after 2.5 hours
Padma Express, bound for Dhaka, left Rajshahi Wednesday evening nearly two and a half hours after Rajshahi University (RU) admission seekers barred the train from leaving the platform, protesting the sale of tickets on the black market.
The train left Rajshahi Railway Station at 6:25pm for Dhaka, Ashim Kumar Talukder, general manager of Railway's West Zone, said. "The students called off the protest after a new compartment was added to Padma Express."
The RU admission test ended with the examination of "B" unit at 2pm.
The aspirants blocked Padma Express around 4pm as they were told to get off the train, which already exceeded its maximum capacity, Ashim said.
Protesting students alleged that many RU admission seekers were not being able to return home as extra train coaches were not arranged for them and tickets were sold on the black market.
Also read: Admission seekers’ blockade snaps Dhaka’s rail link with other parts for over 3 hrs
Students in distress as RU closes dorms for Eid
With Rajshahi University authorities deciding to keep the residential halls closed during the Eid vacation from April 27 to May 7, many students are in troubled waters.
These students told UNB that the decision to keep the residential halls closed has left them in shock, given the fact that many of them belong to far-away places and just can't afford to travel to their homes for such a short vacation.
Partho Sarothy, a student of RU’s theatre department, said the university authorities must not take such "drastic steps" during festivals like Eid.
Read: Decision on PEC exams to be taken 3 months before schedule: State Minister
“My final exams are slated for May 15. The halls are closed till May 8. It may not be possible for me to complete my revision within just seven days of returning to the hall," said Partho, who stays in Suhrawardy hall.
Delwar Hossain, a master’s student of the applied chemistry and chemical engineering department, said, "I wanted to stay on the campus during the festival to prepare for this year's BCS examination. But the authorities have made my life miserable to some extent."
Professor Sultan Ul Islam Tipu, pro-vice-chancellor of the university, said, “Earlier, we never received any complaints from the students about the closure of halls during the Eid vacation. Hope to take into account the demands of the students next year."
Read: 471 teachers recommended for recruitment in govt-aided pvt schools
Fortunately, some major public universities, including Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Begum Rokeya University, Sher E Bangla Agricultural University, and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology, will keep their dormitories open during the Eid vacation.
RU residential student ‘ousted’ by BCL men from Sher-E-Bangla Hall
Bangladesh Chhatra League Rajshahi University unit personnel today allegedly ousted a residential student from Sher-E-Bangla A K Fazlul Haque hall, when he was told by BCL men to leave the room last night.
Aqib Javed, the victim student, alleged that members of the ruling party student front's campus unit told him to leave Room #129 of the hall, where he has been residing for the last few months. In fact on Monday night they already forced him out of the room.
“I was staying in this room for last few months but suddenly Bangladesh Chhatra League men came, along with Ratul bhai, who is the president of BCL's Sher e Bangla hall unit, to my room last night and threatened me to leave. I am a residential student, but I was replaced by a non-residential student named Kamol. That’s why I didn't agree to give up the room," relayed Aqib.
“But today at around 9.30 they came and threw out my belongings," the beleaguered student said. What is more shocking is that when he took the matter up with the university authorities, they feigned the same inertia and familiar lack of initiative that is becoming the norm on campuses all too often, when it comes to dealing with Chhatra League.
“Hall provost allotted me this room (#129). But after the incident, they are now asking me to stay in another room, from the abandoned ones. Why should I go to that room?" questioned Javed.
Refuting the allegation, Mostafizur Rahman Ratul, the BCL leader specifically mentioned by Aqib as having visited him Monday night, said to this reporter, “It’s a false allegation against us that we ousted Aqib from the room. Rather he occupied room #129 without informing the hall authority or us. He was staying in that room sharing the seat with another student.”
READ: Two more held for attack on RU student
“Whenever one of the seats in that room was left, Aqib occupied the seat without informing the authority. But as far I know, Komol, who is now staying in that seat, booked the seat previously.”
Asked if a non-residential student can occupy or stay in a hall seat, Ratul said, “Komol is a senior. He has already applied for residence, which is in process.”
Our campus correspondent managed to have a brief word with the hall provost, Dr. Habibur Rahman.
“The student claiming to be the victim did not inform me when he was forced out of the room. The student who left the room, making the seat fall empty, also did not inform me or the hall authority officially. That’s why it was not my concern that the seat was empty.”
“However, I arranged a room for the student provisionally (Aqib and the room he does not want) and investigating what actually happened so far,” said Dr Habibur.
Yet in any normal campus situation, surely it would be the student enjoying the Chhatra League's endorsement, for lack of a better word, i.e. aforementioned Komol, who should be in provisional accommodation, while the issues over the correct status of Room #129, if indeed there are any, get sorted out.
Job seekers at RU demand primary teacher recruitment test in capital
A group of job seekers of Rajshahi University on Monday demanded the recruitment test for appointing 45000 assistant teachers in the primary schools be held centrally in Dhaka. They came up with the demand at a press conference held at Rajshahi University central library on Monday noon. In a written statement, the former and current students of the university said in the previous years, there have been many irregularities including question paper leakage and proxy examinees in the exams, which were held at the district level.
If the primary teacher recruitment test is held at the district level, there could be terrible corruption, they said.
READ: Job seekers of state banks, FI urge panel result publication
The job seekers said an insidious group tries to take the recruitment test at the district level at any cost. By doing so, they want to leak the question papers or occupy the centre to facilitate the recruitment of their designated ineligible candidates.
If the examination is held centrally in Dhaka, then the authority will be able to complete the primary teacher recruitment examination neatly as well as all other job examinations.
RU proctor withdrawn amid growing tension after student’s death in road crash
Rajshahi University authorities have relieved acting proctor Leyakat Ali amid demonstrations by students over the death of Mahmud Hamid Himel, a student of its Graphics Design department, in a road accident on the campus on Tuesday.
The university authorities have appointed Prof Ashabul Hoque of the Mathematics department as the new proctor, said a university media release signed by RU Registrar Prof Abdus Salam on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, police arrested the driver of the truck that ran over Himel on the campus on Tuesday night.
Driver Titu,35, was arrested from Balia village at Kashiadanga in the city around 1:30 pm, said SM Masud Parvez, the office-in-charge of Kashiadanga Police Station.
Himel was killed and another student was injured as the truck carrying construction materials hit their bike in front of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall where the construction work of a 20-storey academic building was going on.
READ: RU student killed in road crash: students vandalise and set fire on vehicles
His body was taken to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) while the injured, Raihan Rimel, was being treated at the RMCH.
Agitated by the incident, students set five trucks on fire, vandalised the gate of the VC’s residence and a few private vehicles on the campus at night.
They even chased acting proctor Leyakat Ali as he went to the spot two hours after the accident.
They also blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway near the university main gate demanding justice.
Rimel, who suffered wounds in his right leg in the incident, said he and Himel were heading towards the university main gate from Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall on the bike around 8:45pm to draw money.
“As there was no space to cross the truck, which was carrying stone, we stopped the bike on the left side of the road so that it could pass by. But instead of moving forward, the truck turned left, pulling the motorcycle towards the nearby field. At one stage, the wheels of the truck ran over us, crushing Himel’s head and breaking my leg,” he added.
Later, the angry students set five trucks on fire at the spot, vandalised the gate of the VC’s residence and some private vehicles inside the campus. They also chased acting proctor Leyakat Ali.
They blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway at the main gate of the university demanding justice.
Then the protesting students placed 6-point demand, including the withdrawal of the proctor.
VC Professor Golam Sabbir Sattar Tapu had urged the students to sit with them at 4 pm Wednesday at Sabas Bangladesh playground of the university. But the students turned down the request and demanded that their demands be met immediately.
READ: Rajshahi University dormitories reopen after 18 months
Around 2.30 am, the students went on a break stopping their demonstrations.
The first namaz-e-janaza of the student was held at the central mosque of the university at 11.00 am on Wednesday. Then the body was taken to his village home in Natore.
Himel was buried at the central graveyard of Garikhana of Natore at 2.30 pm.
Joining his namaz-e-janaza, VC Prof Golam Sabbir said Himel's family will get compensation in addition to receiving the expenses for running the case, and providing the treatment cost of the injured student, Rimel.
Torch procession held at RU in solidarity with students of SUST
Leaders and activists of left leaning political organisations of Rajshahi University have staged a torch procession protesting the attack on the students at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).
The procession started from 'Amtala' behind the central library of the university on Monday at 7.30 pm. Later, at the end of a tour of the campus, a demonstration was held at the 'Zoha Chattar' of the university.
Leaders and activists expressed their full support to all the demands of SUST students including resignation of the Vice-Chancellor Fariduddin Ahmed.
Addressing the demonstration, Md. Shakil, joint convenor of 'Biplobi Chhatra Maitri' of the university said the students of SUST were attacked by police without hearing their logical demands.
"Many student were seriously injured. I strongly condemn such a heinous attack. I also fully support their demands," Shakil said.
READ: SUST: Students reject closure notice, declare VC 'unwanted' on campus
Shakila Khatun, president of Chhatra Union's RU branc, said: "The university is a place for free thought. But in SUST, the students who were agitating for logical demands have been attacked. This is not an isolated incident, This is the same picture across the country. A movement starts with a logical demand, and then the police force and student wing of the ruling party attacks them."
Besides, Ridom Shahriar, convenor of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front's RU unit, and Fuad Ratul, the organising secretary of the same organisations, also addressed the protest rally. Among them, many leaders and activists of the Left Alliance were present in the program.
READ: ‘Police action’ on SUST students: Protest rallies held at DU
Earlier on that day, students from different departments formed a human chain in front 'Shaheed Buddhijibi Smritifalak' of the university protesting the same issue.
RU may turn to UGC to improve food options for students
As universities have opened their doors again following the long closure caused by the pandemic, and healthy lifestyles foremost in people's minds, residential and non-residential students of Rajshahi University have raised concerns over the eating options available to them at one of the largest public universities in the country.
Even the chief medical officer at the university's own medical centre has admitted meals served at the university's dining centres fall short of providing the daily nutritious intake recommended for a person to lead a healthy life.
Students meanwhile allege they are being served food cooked in unhygienic conditions and even stale meals at the cafeterias and hall dinings.
Most of the residential students take their regular meals from their respective hall dinings. Sometimes they allege insects and other unhealthy items are found in the meals of hall dinings.
Earlier on the day of the admission test at the university, many students allegedly suffered from food poisoning after having food from the cafeteria.
Abdus Sabur Lotus, a 2nd-year student of Mass Communication and Journalism department of the university, told UNB that he suffered from food poisoning after having lunch at the central cafeteria.
Read: Prof Golam Sabbir Sattar appointed as VC of Rajshahi University
RU student volunteers to engage Gram Bangla on Covid-19
A week-long campaign to raise awareness on Covid-19 among the rural population of two northern divisions- Rajshahi and Rangpur - was launched Saturday, following hygiene rules and taking vaccines.
A total of eighty students from different departments of Rajshahi University are participating in the awareness campaign under a voluntary club, North Bengal COVID-19 Youth Forum of Rajshahi University with the support of Bangladesh Betar and Unicef.
The campaign will be conducted in different villages under sixteen districts of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions - a quarter of the total- aiming to disseminate messages of social distancing, wearing masks, avoiding crowds, washing hands for 20 seconds, registering and receiving vaccines, etc.
A virtual meeting was held Friday, where the RU Mass Communication and Journalism (MCJ) department's Professor Pradip Kumar Panday gave instructions on how to conduct these awareness activities while UNICEF Communication for Development Officer Monjur Ahmed, and MCJ department's associate professor Naziat Hossain Chowdhury, assistant professor Mamun Abdul Kaioum, among others, spoke.
READ: The contenders to be the next VC of Rajshahi University
One of the notable phenomena of the pandemic this time is the amount of information available to people, that they can avail if they choose to do so. Coupled with the lockdown to boot, most people have in fact bookmarked pages like Johns Hopkins University's Covid-19 dashboard, the cool graphical presentations on the pandemic by the team at Our World in Data, or the WHO/CDC's Coronavirus resource.
However in Bangladesh at least, a combination of factors has restricted this to the highly-developed urban centres. This is as much due to a glaring digital divide in terms of access to the web and all its wonders between rural and urban areas, that manifested most troublingly when students who had to go back to their village homes once schools closed, were often unable, or failed to keep up due to poor network coverage, with initiatives by some institutions to hold Zoom classes. The lack of equal access meant these had to be ditched eventually.
On the other hand, for almost the entire first wave, and bulk of the second, the outbreak in Bangladesh was largely confined to urban areas. In particular, it was Dhaka-centric. It was only during the latter half of the 2nd wave, around late May/early June, that Dhaka's proportion of the total cases started to decline, and by not much at all. Unlike previous strains, which would arrive in the country through its main airport located in the capital and then spread from there.
But the second wave was driven by the highly contagious Delta variant, first identified in India, with which Bangladesh shares an enormous, and porous border. Entry points were often identified in one of the many frontier districts bordering India. The proportion of cases in the rural hinterland thus began to rise. And it was then that it became imperative to spread the knowledge on Covid-19 into these areas.
READ: Rajshahi University BCL locks up VC
This RU project, with support from Bangladesh Betar, the state-controlled radio station, and Unicef, aims to fulfill that objective.