RU student alleges JCD leaders assaulted him over suspected Shibir links

A Rajshahi University student has alleged that leaders and activists of the university unit of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) assaulted and harassed him early yesterday on suspicion that he was attempting to join the organisation on behalf of Islami Chhatra Shibir.

The incident reportedly took place at Shahid Shamsuzzoha Hall on the Rajshahi University campus. The student, Mohammad Asif, is enrolled in the university’s Mathematics Department for the 2024-25 academic session.

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Asif alleged that hall JCD President Mehedi Hasan Fuad took his mobile phone on the pretext of helping him secure a seat and searched it for evidence of communication with Shibir. He said he was then taken to a common room, where he was interrogated overnight, assaulted, forced to make statements on video and compelled to sign a written statement.

Asif said he had repeatedly sought a hall seat from the provost because of his family’s financial difficulties. He said he agreed to participate in JCD programmes after Fuad told him joining the organisation could help him secure a seat.

Fuad denied the allegations, saying Asif had been staying in the hall illegally for about three months. He claimed Asif had expressed interest in joining JCD and that he took his phone to add him to an organisational group.

He said he found conversations between Asif and Abdur Rahman Rasan, president of the hall unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, which he claimed suggested that Asif had been instructed to record conversations and gather information about JCD.

JCD's RU unit President Sultan Ahmed Rahi said he had instructed hall leaders to prevent any untoward incident and claimed Asif was later handed over to the hall administration without harassment.

RU Shibir leaders protested before university authorities yesterday, demanding action against those involved, medical treatment and security for Asif, and transparency in seat allocation.

Shibir's RU unit General Secretary Hafez Mehedi Hasan denied that Asif was associated with the organisation. He said financially disadvantaged students stayed at Shibir’s welfare building and that not all of them were involved in politics.

Hall Provost Prof Al-Amin Sarker said he learned about the incident around 3am yesterday and went to the hall. He said Asif did not report being assaulted when questioned.

RU Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Prof Mamunur Rashid said the administration was yet to hear Asif’s account and would investigate the matter before taking action.