United News of Bangladesh

A five-member committee has been formed at Islamic University in Kushtia to investigate the ragging incident allegedly by a leader and some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student organisation of Awami League. The committee headed by IU Law department chairperson Professor Reba Mondolat was formed at a meeting with IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair on Wednesday morning. Among others, IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman, treasurer Professor M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya and acting registrar HM Ali Hasan were present in the meeting. Professor Debashish Sharma of Sheikh Russel Hall, Yeasmin Ara Sathi of Khaleda Zia Hall, assistant proctor Professor Murshid Alam Akas and IU academic section deputy registrar M Alib Uddin are the members of the committee. They formed the investigation committee as two students- Fulpori Khatun of Finance and Banking department and Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora of Statistics department, submitted  complaints against each other, IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan said. The probe body was asked to submit its reports within seven working days, he added. Legal action would be taken against those involved in the incident after getting the probe report, IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said. Many female students of the Sheikh Hasina Hall of the university told UNB that such ragging incidents led by Ontora and her cohorts often happen at the hall but none of those were disclosed as they threatened and intimidated the victims not to disclose the matter. The university administration should take legal action against the accused so that they could not dare to do such a heinous act in the future, they said. Fulpori Khatun, a first year student of Finance and Banking department,  was reportedly tortured and harassed by Islamic University unit Bangladesh Chhatra League vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia on Sunday night. The incident came to light after the victim left the hall and disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members on Monday. The victim on Tuesday submitted a written complaint to the university proctor, student adviser and the hall provost, demanding punishment for those involved in the incident.

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.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain on Tuesday said the government will start feeding programme at all primary schools across the country from June this year. The school feeding programme was launched in 104 upazilas of the country in 2010 in the poverty-stricken areas and ended in June, 2022, he said while speaking at a programme at the Ministry. The school feeding programme played an effective role in fulfilling the nutritional need in children, cent enrollment in schools, regular attendance of students, reducing dropout rate and timely completion of education cycle, he said. Read more: Primary scholarship exam results to be published by Feb 28 So, the government has taken steps to launch feeding programme at primary schools across the country, said the minister. The government has taken an initiative to change 200 government primary schools’ names which are inappropriate, said Zakir. “A policy regarding this was issued on 23 January 2022.  We have decided to publish gazette within six months,” he said.  

The results of primary scholarship examinations will be published between 25-28 February. Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) Farid Ahmed disclosed the information at a press conference in the conference room of the secretariat on Tuesday. “DPE Director General Shah Rezwan confirmed the matter,” he said. Due to the Covid-19 epidemic, the Primary Education Completion (PEC) examination has been suspended since 2020, and the government scrapped the PEC examinations last year. The primary scholarship examination was held in December, 2022, 13 years after the last one  in 2008. A total of six lakh fifth-graders took part in the examination on 30 December 2022. Among them, 80,000 students will get scholarships. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain was also present there.  

The government has taken an initiative to change 200 government primary schools’ names which are inappropriate, said State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain. “A policy regarding this was issued on 23 January 2022.  We have decided to publish gazette within six months,” he said. He said this at a press conference at the conference room of the secretariat on Tuesday. "We will change the negative names with decent and inspiring ones that honor our history, culture, prominent figures, and freedom fighters,” he said. Also Read: HC questions legality of primary school teacher recruitment on quota basis Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) Farid Ahmed was also present there.    

Sara Tasneem, assistant professor of the Entrepreneurship Economics Programme of the Dhaka School of Economics (DSE), earned a PhD degree at Dhaka University (DU) recently. The latest syndicate meeting of DU awarded her the degree. She earned her PhD from the Department of Banking and Insurance. Sara's research topic was "Role of Private Commercial Banks in Accelerating the Economic Growth of Bangladesh." The DSE assistant professor did her undergraduate and postgraduate in economics at Dhaka University in 2002 and 2003. Later, she did a masters in business administration in finance at the Daffodil International University. Sara has been teaching at the university level for around 15 years. Also, she has engaged herself in research in different branches of economics, especially entrepreneurship economics.

Around two hundred seats for undergraduate courses at the Islamic University in Kushtia remained unfilled after ten rounds of allotment under its 2021-22 academic session. Through the unified admission test, 1, 795 students gained admission from the first merit list to eleventh merit lists, IU Academic Section Office officials said on Monday. Among the 195 seats, 149 remain vacant in the science faculty; 31 in arts, social science and law faculties and 15 seats in the business administration faculty, IU academic section Director ATM Emdadul Alam told UNB. The Islamic University Teachers’ Association, however, has decided not to conduct the combined admission test under the 2022-23 academic session of the university as the admission process failed to meet its target of reducing hassles and sufferings of the admission seekers. A press release, signed by IUTA president professor M Jahangir Hossain and its general secretary professor Tapan Kumar Godder, was issued in this regard on Sunday night. According to the press release, Islamic University will take the admission test under its previous system as it is an autonomous university. The university has a unique faculty, theology and Islamic studies faculty, and there is no such faculty in other public universities in the country. The association decided not to join the cluster intake test process as it would create complexity, deferment and lack of combination instead of reducing the hassle of admission seekers, the press release said. IUTA president Professor M Jahangir Hossain said that the unified admission process failed to meet its target of reducing hassles and sufferings of the admission seekers,  as well as their guardians.  "We informed the university authorities of the matter through submitting a written statement," Prof Jahangir added.  

A total of 21 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling party, have been expelled for violating the organisational norms and policies. The expelled leaders and activists were involved in various illegal activities like robbing, snatching money, beating people and creating clashes in the organisation from different educational institutions of the country. Expelled Chhatra League leaders are Nazmul Hasan Rupu, former deputy secretary of Human resources of DU chhatra League, Tanzir Arafath Tushar, former Joint- general secretary of Kabi Jashim Uddin Hall Chhatra League of Dhaka University, Asadullah Asad, social services secretary of Fazlul Haque Muslim(FH) Hall Chhatra League of Dhaka University, Mahidur Rahman, Environment secretary of FH hall Chhatra League, Riaz Ahmed Polok, Communication and development secretary of FH hall Chhatra League, Jihadul Islam, deputy office secretary of FH hall Chhatra League, Al Kawsar, deputy secretary of financial affairs of FH hall chhatra League, Shaon Chowdhury, deputy secretary of library and publication of FH hall chhatra League, Asit Pal, secretary of environmental affairs of Jahangir Nagar Chhatra League, Maruf Islam, joint general secretary of Chittagong University Chhatra League and Shah Alam Ratul , deputy secretary of RUET Chhatra League. Expelled Activists are Fahim Tajwar Joy and Sajid Ahmed of Master Da Surza Sen hall chhatra League, Rahul Roy of Jagannath Hall Chhatra League, Md. Tarek of FH hall Chhatra League, Fazle Nabid Shakil, Sadik Ahammed and Md. Rahat Rahman of Bijoy Ekattor Hall Chhatra League, Nur Mohammad Nabil and Kamran Siddik Rashed of RUET Chhatra League and Rakibul Islam Rakib of Govt. Shahid Suhrawardy College Chhatra League. A notification signed by BCL president Saddam Hussein and GS Sheikh Inan confirmed the firing of these BCL activists and leaders. On the other hand, another top BCL leader of Amar Ekushey Hall Chhatra League, Imdadul Haque Sohag, former general secretary of Amar Ekushey hall Chhatra league has been absolved by Dhaka University Chhatra League unit for involving in extortion from Bangabazar Market. Mazharul Kabir Shoyon, president of Dhaka University Chhatra League, confirmed the matter to UNB. Mentioned, most of the expelled leaders and activists have been expelled for their involvement in extortion and snatching while the leaders and activists of FH hall Chhatra League have been expelled for triggering an internal clash in FH hall Chhatra League regarding taking over a seat.  

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has issued instructions to not teach the newly introduced inquiry-based textbook for the History & Social Science subject in classes 6 and 7, while changes will be made to some other books too. NCTB issued a notification in this regard signed by its Chairman Prof Farhadul Islam. Necessary corrections will also be made to the other History & Social Science textbook that has not been withdrawn, but will undergo changes to at least 4 chapters. Class 6 science textbook will also see changes to one chapter. Besides, the notice stated that the educational institutions will be notified about the corrections.  

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Friday urged citizens to read the new curriculum textbooks themselves, instead of believing lies. “Religion is a sacred thing. Are there any lies about it? Then those who spread lies and propaganda about it are not right. Read what is in the textbooks and see for yourself. Don’t believe what others are saying,” said the minister. Dr Dipu Moni made the remarks while speaking in a courtyard meeting at Ishanbala Kashem Ulmul Madrasa ground of Neelkamal Union under Haimchar Upazila as part of two days visiting in Chandpur. Assuring that there is nothing anti-Islamic in the books, the minister said, “Somebody is saying it would have been better if it had not been included in the book. Others saying some have been included excessively. We are saying we will publish two new books for sixth and seventh graders in the coming year.” “Even then, we will listen to people. If someone has a heartache, we have value and respect for them,” Dr Dipu Moni added. Calling the people to not indulge those who spread religious lies, the minister said to remember everyone that those who work for boats, those who are for Sheikh Hasina, can never engage in any anti-Islamic activities. On this visit, the minister listened to local people about their various difficulties. On Saturday (February 11), the minister will inaugurate the literary fair at the District Shilpakala Academy auditorium as the chief guest.