Monday 6:25pm. Coming out of the Islamic University faculty building, Fulpori got into a car with the probe committee members. A journalist asked her, “What would you do if what’s happened to you is repeated with someone else at the university in future?”
Fulpori replied, “I hope no such incident happens at the university in future. In case it does I will always stand my ground and keep on protesting.''
The car then went inside the Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, where Fulpori Khatun had been tortured by Chhatra League leaders and activists.
Earlier on Saturday from 4:15 to 6:15pm, members of the inquiry committee formed under High Court order by Kushtia deputy commissioner Mohammad Saidul Islam, talked to Fulpori at the office of proctor Shahadat Hossain.
The probe committee formed Sunday night, consists of Kushtia additional district magistrate ANM Abujar Gifari, senior judicial magistrate Mahmuda Sultana and assistant professor at the accounting and information system department as well as assistant proctor at the Islamic University Shahbub Alam.
Fulpori alleged being held captive and tortured inside the ‘gono room’ of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall of Islamic University for four and a half hours on 12 February night.
In her words, followers of University Chhatra League unit vice president Sanjida Chowdhury, led by Sanjida herself, carried out torture on her. While being tortured, she was stripped and filmed, abused verbally and threated to be killed if she disclosed the incident to anyone.
The High Court ordered a three-member committee to be formed and investigate the incident. It was the members of that committee who spoke to Fulpori yesterday.
The probe committee went to the proctor’s office around 12:00pm on Sunday. Fulpori was asked to come from there and she came along with her father Ataur Rahman and her brother Hazrat Ali.
They arrived at Charsadi Kheyaghat area in Kushtia’s Kumarkhali upazila traveling 30 kilometres on her father’s van from Pabna’s Shibpur village. Later at 3:30pm, they reached Shialdah Kheyaghat area after crossing the Padma in an hour.
Mohsin Hossain, officer in-charge of Kumarkhali police station, who was waiting there already, received them and brought them to the university by a car.
Members of the probe committee spoke to Fulpori privately for two hours. At the time, her father and brother remained seated in the next room.
Fulpori, her father and brother came out together with the inquiry committee members.
When tried to speak with the committee members at this time, they refused to make any comments as court matters were involved.
Fulpori then spoke briefly in front of the media. In response to journalists' questions Phulpari said, “They asked to know the whole incident and I’ve given them the whole story. I have sought maximum punishment for them.”
Then the inquiry committee members took her inside Deshratna Sheikh Hasina hall in their car.
When asked branch officer of the hall Abdur Razzak at around 7:30pm told Prothom Alo that the committee members visited all the incident-related spots, taking Fulpori along with them.
They listened to her descriptions and noted down names, addresses and mobile numbers of students from the related rooms. They were supposed to speak with other students of the hall including the accused leader today, Tuesday.
Fulpori’s elder brother Hazrat Ali told Prothom Alo, “We had great trouble to reach here by boat, but we came. The issue of time and money is there as well. We have to return home no matter how late it is.”
Accused Chhatra League leaders came too
Both of the Chhatra League leaders Sanjida and Tabassum, accused of torture, have given separate statement at the office of university and hall investigation committee on Sunday afternoon.
Sanjida and Tabassum went to the office of Reba Mandal, a professor at the law department and convener of the investigation committee, formed by the university, at around 9:30am on the call of the committee.
As per a source of the university, Sanjida was first called inside the room at 9:30am. She came out at 11:30am and sat in the next room.
Once Sanjida had left, Tabassum entered Reba Mandal’s office around 11:45pm. She left the room at 12:40pm.
Sanjeeda then reentered the room and came out at 1:20pm. Tabassum also reentered the office at 1:25pm and left at 2:00pm.
Newsmen at the time fired different questions at Sanjida. She didn't want to talk at first. Then at a point Sanjida said, “I talked to the inquiry committee once at first. Later, a four-page written statement was submitted.”
“The probe committee asked to know about the incident. The investigation is underway; you’ll get to know everything through the investigation indeed,” she added.
At this time a journalist asked for her response mentioning students complain that she has created a reign of terror inside the hall. Sanjida replied, “You’ll find everything out once the investigation is completed. Whatever the truth is, will come out in the report.”
Sanjida, in response to the question how she managed to get a post in BCL said, "I am not supposed to comment on me receiving a post in the committee. Talk to the seniors and you’ll find out everything.”
When questioned about the allegations of torturing Fulpori, Sanjida Chowdhury said, “No comment.”
The other leader Tabassum said, “Whatever I had to say, I have said it to the inquiry committee. I don’t want to say anything beyond that.”
Convener of the inquiry committee, professor Reba Mandal told reporters, “The rule is to not disclose any information outside of the probe committee to let it do its work properly. We’ll try finishing the investigation within stipulated time.”