A 13-year-old boy was tortured inhumanly after his father allegedly failed to repay debt in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore district. The incident happened on Friday at Chalnali village. The boy, son of Kabil Hossain, of Gangarampur village is now undergoing treatment at Gurudaspur Upazila Health Complex. Abdul Motin, officer-in-charge of Gurudaspur Police Station, said Kabil Hossain took land belonging to Munnaf Hossain on lease for cultivating guava. He failed to pay the lease money due to poor harvest. On Friday, Kabil’s son went to the guava orchard to pluck fruits. Munnaf apparently picked him up around 7 am and tied the boy up in a chain and tortured him in phases. Also read: 8-month-old son hanged from tree, tortured in Narail; Father arrested Later, the boy’s family rescued him after getting information from local people around 2 pm. A complaint has been lodged with Gurudaspur Police Station in this connection. “Police are trying to arrest the attackers,” said OC.  

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.  

The judicial inquiry committee formed to probe the torture on Fulpori Khatun, a student of  Islamic University, has found that the girl was tortured brutally and inhumanly and the university authorities failed to act properly.   The report was submitted before High Court bench of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Raziq Al Jalil on Tuesday. The HC bench fixed Wednesday for passing an order in this regard. The inquiry committee found involvement of six people 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. According to the report, after being tortured, the victim was forced by Antara to give bond. Read more: Student torture at IU: BCL leader, 4 activists expelled from dormitory Writ petitioner Md. Mohsin told reporters that the investigation committee found allegations against 6 people- IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and Lima of Statistics Department, her cohorts-Tabassum and Maobiya of Finance and Banking Department, Halima Akter Urmi of Fine Arts Department and Ishrat Jahan Mim of Law Department-true.   Fulpori, a first year student of Finance and Banking department, was tortured and humiliated by Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora 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 Ontora and activist Tabassum left the hall following the High Court order. Ontora ,Tabassum and Maobiya, Halima Khatun and Ishrat Jahan were expelled from Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on Monday as the hall authorities found their involvement in the assault on Fulpori.

A Jahangirnagar University student has allegedly been tortured by some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League  for not attending guest room and political programmes.  The victim, Sakibul Islam Farabbi, a student of the 49th batch of Statistics Department at the University and a resident of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall, gave a written complaint to the provost of the hall regarding the torture incident.  The incident took place last Friday (February 24) around 2 am at the university’s Rabindranath Tagore Hall. Also Read: 'Special exam' at JU: Opportunity turns to burden for students The accused BCL men are Junaid Hasan Rana of English Department, Naimul Islam Sagar of Pharmacy Department, Atiq Shahriar of History Department, Mohtashim Billah of Fine Arts Department, Utsa and Kabbo of Government and Politics Department, Junaid Ivan of Mathematics Department, Imran Mirza of Biochemistry and Bioscience Department and Saikat Islam of Physics Department. They are the students of the 48th batch of the University and followers of JU BCL unit president Akhtaruzzaman Shohel. They’re also residents of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore hall.  According to the written complaint, the BCL activists called the students of batch 49 of room no 216 to room no. 219 at 2 am on February 24. Later, the students were physically and mentally abused in various ways by the Chhatra League activists. The BCL men later locked the rooms of the students and forced them to spend the night in the guest room.  While talking to UNB, Farabbi said, “the BCL men asked me why I didn't attend the guest room and political programs? I said I was away for a departmental tour and was also preoccupied with my exams.” Later, the BCL men asked Farabbi to leave the hall.  “After they asked me to leave the hall, I said this hall was allocated in my name and I won’t leave.Then they asked me to undress. So when I refused to undress, they got angry and started beating me,” Farabi said.  “My friends came from the next room and took me away after hearing my screams. Then we spent the rest of the night in the guest room of the hall,” Farabbi told UNB.  However, the accused BCL men denied the allegations of torture.  Denying the allegations, Atiq Shahriar, one of the accused, said that there was no incident of beating or torture.  “The complainant was misbehaving with his friends. He threw one of his friends out of the room. So we went to convince him,” he said.  Another accused, Imran Mirza, claimed the allegation was ‘baseless.’  However, Shakib, a student of the International Department and a witness of the incident, said, "I moved from the room after hearing the sound of slapping."  “Then I saw some of our seniors from the 48th batch beating Farabbi. Later, I escorted him out of the room," he added.  Aktaruzzaman Sohel, president of the university unit BCL, said, "The Chhatra League has declared zero tolerance against ragging.” “Such incidents are not acceptable. If the allegation of torture is true, organizational action will be taken against those involved,” said Sohel.  Professor Nazmul Hossain Talukder, the provost of Rabindranath Tagore Hall, said strict action will be taken following an investigation.        

India's Border Security Force (BSF) member have reportedly tortured a Bangladeshi farmer entering the Shingnagar border in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj. The victim is Eslam Ali, 70, of the upazila. BGB-53 Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Mohammad Suruj Mia said the farmer was working in the field within 15 yards of the border zero line on Wednesday noon when the BSF members enter the border and tortured him. Locals rushed the farmer to Shibganj Health Complex and then to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) as his two hands were broken. On information, BGB men visited the spot with the farmer's son. Read: Another Bangladeshi man shot to death by BSF along Satkhira border “A letter has been sent to the BSF strongly protesting the matter,” said the officer. Meanwhile, local UP member Serajul Islam alleged that BSF often enters Bangladesh and tortures the farmers here.

Three people caught on video thrashing a disabled man in Bhola have been arrested, police said on Friday. The arrestees have been identified as Taposh Mridha, Promila and Rina, all residents of Nomo village in Lalmohan upazila, said Md Maksudur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Lalmohan police station. Police swung into action after the video of the incident went viral on social media. Also read: Caught on video for thrashing thief, grocer held in Chuadanga In the video, the three people could be seen brutally beating up Joy Chandra Mistry with sticks after tying him to a pole inside a temple in Nomo village. Joy had to endure the torture till his father rescued him and took him to upazila health complex. His only crime was that he had slapped one of Taposh’s relatives Thursday morning, following an argument, locals said. A case has been filed in this regard after the victim's father lodged a complaint against five people, said OC Maksudur Rahman. Also read: Man arrested for thrashing two girls in Savar Joy’s father Shyamol Chandra Mistry said, “They have tortured my son many times in the past as he is disabled and we are poor. I demand justice for my son.”

Police arrested a local Jubo League leader in a case over torturing a sexagenarian man from Thanarhat Bazar in Subornachar upazila of Noakhali district in the small hours of Monday. The arrestee is Abul Hossain Sanaz, 45, president of No 9 ward unit Jubo League of Charwapda union and son of Azhar Ahmed of the upazila. He was the prime accused in the case. Tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in the area and arrested Sanaz from Thanarhat Bazar around 12 pm. Shahidul Islam, superintendent of Noakhali Police, said on July 2, Sanaz along with his associates picked up Sheikh Nasir Uddin Maizbhandar, 68, and beat him up mercilessly at Amanatganj after tying his mouth while he was returning home. Also read: Bangladeshi woman confined, tortured in KSA; Case filed Later, they unleashed brutal torture on him after putting a torchlight into the anus of the victim over previous enmity. When the man got senseless, they fled the scene. He is now undergoing treatment at Noakhali 250-bed General Hospital. Syed Mahiuddin Abdul Azim, resident Medical Officer of the hospital, said the physicians removed the torchlight from the anus after surgery. Also read: AL leader tied to tree, tortured in Ctg; UP member held Meanwhile, the victim’s family lodged a complaint against eight people with Subarnachar Police and police registered a case in this connection.

Police arrested a woman from Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola for torturing her seven-year-old granddaughter on allegation of stealing a mobile phone. Police made the arrest conducting a drive on Sunday after a video of the brutal torture went viral on social media, said Shahin Fakir, Officer-in-Charge of Borhanuddin police station. The arrestee was identified as Asma Begum from Barapata village of Deula union in the upazila. Victim Tanisha’s mother Monwara Begum filed a case with police in this regard and the accused was sent to jail after being produced before the court on Monday, said OC Shahin Fakir. According to police, Tanisha’s parents Md Harun Howladar and Monwara Begum were divorced six years ago and both of them got married to other people later. Tanisha used to live with her maternal grandmother and just recently she came to visit her paternal grandmother’s house in Barapata village. On Thursday, after a smartphone got stolen from the house, Tanisha’s grandmother Asma Begum accused her and brutally tortured her. But a local teen recorded the incident with his phone which later went viral on social media and caught attention of police. In that video, Asma gripped Tanisha by hair and was pulling her toward inside the house as she kept crying for help. She later plucked Tanisha's nail using pliers and tied her with a tree. Later locals rescued her and admitted her to upazila health complex, said OC Shahin Kabir. The girl is currently  under her mother’s custody, he said. Also read: Overzealous woman in viral incident at Narsingdi station held for assault

A 42-year-old man allegedly tortured his wife by forcibly shaving her head - over the extremely trivial and mundane matter of finding some strands of hair in his meal - a common enough occurrence throughout the length and breadth of the country. The atrocious conduct on the part of a husband has been reported from Dholarhat union in Sadar upazila of Thakurgaon, in the village of Madhabpur Naoapara. Also read: Boy tied to tree, tortured in Lalmonirhat; one held Earlier on April 7, Ehsan Mamun, the husband, was accused of torturing his wife with a bamboo twig. He has done this to his wife many times before, confirmed local Union Parishad (UP) member Hossain Ali. After the shaving incident, the locals rescued the victim and admitted her to the local hospital. Ehsan has been on the run since then. “This time I advised his wife to seek legal action,” said UP member Mahi. Chitta Ranjan Roy, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ruhia Police Station, confirmed the victim has indeed filed a case in this regard this time. “Currently an operation is on to nab the accused husband," the OC adds. Meanwhile, the victim alleged that throughout their 13-year marriage, Mamun subjected her to inhumane torture over all sorts of trivial matters, and for dowry. Under the pretext of dowry, Ehsan has taken large sums of money from his in-laws. “Now he again tortured me when I refused to bring him dowry money," the wife alleges. She further said that Mamun is threatening her to withdraw the case. If she doesn't, he would kill her and her (and his!) two children, acording to the threat. Gender-based violence in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, women and girls are facing growing violence in every stage of their lives as society thinks it is not that much of a serious issue. According to a report of Human Rights Watch (HRW), this crisis comes as Bangladesh enters the final phase of its national plan to build “a society without violence against women and children by 2025.” Also read:Housewife tortured to death over dowry in Sylhet HRW reports a 70 percent increase in reported incidents like violence on women and girls since the start of the pandemic, and this does not account for the incidents that were not reported. According to Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK), a human rights group based in Bangladesh, at least 235 women were murdered by their husband or in laws in just the first nine months of 2020.