The Islamic University (IU) authorities have suspended Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Sanjida Chowdhury and four activists over their role in assaulting first-year student Fulpori Khatun. 

IU proctor Shahadat Hossain confirmed the information to Prothom Alo, saying the decision came at a meeting of the university’s disciplinary committee on Saturday  noon. 

The meeting began at 12:00 pm and continued until 2:00 pm, with vice chancellor Sheikh Abdus Salam in the chair. The committee decided to serve show cause notices to the five accused students with a 7-day timeframe. 

The authorities would expel them permanently unless their explanation is satisfactory, added the proctor. 

Apart from Sanjida, other suspended students are Halima Akter Urmi of fine arts department, Israt Jahan Mim of law department, Tabassum Islam and Muabiya Jahan of finance and banking department. 

Until being suspended from the party, Sanjida was vice president of BCL’s IU unit while the remaining four were activists. 

They confined Fulpori in a room at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall and tortured her for around four and a half hours. Later, she lodged complaints to four offices of the university, disclosing her ordeal.

As the issue reached the courtroom, the High Court ordered the university authorities to suspend the five BCL activists from all sorts of academic activities. It also ordered to suspend the provost of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, Shamsul Alam, immediately and allot a seat for Fulpori in the residential hall as per her choice.

At the same time, superintendents of police (SPs) in Kushtia and Pabna, in addition to the university administration, were asked to ensure the safety of Fulpori.

The five BCL activists have been suspended from the hall and the party and are now staying outside the campus.