Shawdesh desk:

The authorities of Islamic University in Kushtia on Saturday suspended five of its students, including a leader and four activists of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, as they were found involved in torturing and intimidating a female student of the finance and banking department.

They suspended the five leaders and activists of the student organisation of the ruling Awami League following a High Court order, officials at the IU registrar office said.

The decision was made in an emergency meeting of the university’s student disciplinary committee on the campus in Kushtia with IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair.

The suspended students are – IU BCL unit vice-president Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora of statistics department and her associates Tabassum Islam and Maobiya Jahan of the finance and banking department, Halima Khatun Urmi of the fine arts department, and Israt Jahan Mim of the law department of the university.

Among others, IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman, treasurer Professor M Alamgir Hossain Bhuiya, proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad and acting registrar HM Ali Hasan were present in the meeting.

On February 12 night, a group of BCL activists led by Ontora and her cohorts including Tabassum went to the victim’s room and assaulted and tortured her.

Ontora, at one stage, forced the victim to get undressed and videoed the incident on her mobile phone.

The BCL leader also threatened that she would make the video viral on social media if the victim disclosed the matter to anyone, according to the complainant.

The victim 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 respectively on February 14 and 15, after the victim had lodged complaints with them.

The probe bodies submitted their reports to the university administration on February 26.

A three-member probe body was also formed by the IU BCL unit to look into the matter on February 15.

The IU BCL unit vice-president and convener of the probe body, Munshi Kamrul Hasan Anik, said that they submitted the report to the central BCL through email for further action on Sunday.

A writ petition was also filed by Gazi Mohammad Mohsin, an alumnus of the university and a lawyer, with the High Court on Thursday.

Kushtia district administration, meanwhile, formed a three-member inquiry committee, led by additional district magistrate ANM Abujar Gifari, and asked it to submit its report within seven days following a High Court order on February 20.

Accused BCL leader Ontara and activist Tabassum left the hall following the High Court order. However they have reportedly apologised to the victim, effectively owning up to their guilt.