JU students, teachers want measures to end hazing

Teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University (JU) yesterday protested brutal hazing on the campus, following Sunday night's bullying of a fresher who was hospitalised because of excessive mental torture.

Under the banner of Chhatra Shikkhakh Oikya Mancha, they held a press conference at New Arts Faculty building and demanded a series of deterrent steps.

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Their 13-point demand includes taking control of the halls from the ruling party student body, forming anti-hazing cells, quick punishment for the bullies, overnight patrolling at dormitories, stopping the "gono room" and "guest room" culture, and holding election to JU Central Student Union (Jucsu).

On Monday, the Mancha formed a human chain protesting the bullying, and met with Vice Chancellor Prof Farzana Islam, who said the authorities had already taken steps to stop it.

Convener of the Mancha, Prof Nasim Akhtar Hossain of the government and politics department said, "We will not tolerate any injustice to freshers."

On Sunday night, Shariful Islam, a first-year student of chemistry, was bullied so much that his blood pressure shot up and he was admitted to the JU medical centre.

A doctor said he fell sick because of mental torture.

The JU syndicate passed a decision in 2009, terming hazing a serious offence and providing for expulsion of the guilty. At least four students have been expelled on the charge since then.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall has sent a letter to the VC, requesting action against the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists who had allegedly assaulted the hall provost and drove him out of a "gono room" on Friday.