Fulpori 'name of BCL protest': President Saddam

BCL president came up with these remarks on Sunday at Raju Sculpture on Dhaka University (DU) campus at a rally titled awareness campaign against ragging and sexual harassment.
Prothom Alo

The president of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Saddam Hossain, whose leaders and activists allegedly tortured Fulpori Khatun, a first-year student of Islamic University (IU), is now lauding her courage to speak out against the anomalies -- ragging, torture, bullying and sexual harassment on the campuses of different universities.

Terming Fulpori as a real successor of Begum Rokeya and Sufiya Kamal, Saddam Hossain said BCL will always stand by Fulpori -- a name of protest for Chhatra League and a symbol for justice.

The BCL president came up with these remarks on Sunday at Raju Sculpture on Dhaka University (DU) campus at a rally titled awareness campaign against ragging and sexual harassment. In the event, BCL DU unit leaders and activists were present.

Saddam Hossain said, "We are worried and disappointed over unwarranted incidents that took place on different campuses in the country. Ragging and sexual harassment weren't included in the syllabus of student politics. There is a reality in the country that we try to legalise or normalise the incidents of physical and mental tortures of first year students in the name of ragging."

Ragging, a criminal offence, shatters the dreams of students.  So, the students will have to be aware of it. These incidents are being occurred time and again as the students lack the awareness at expected level over the issue. Student organisation, university and college administration, hall and hostel administration are also held responsible for ragging, BCL president stated.      

Saddam said BCL will fight to ensure the punishment of the oppressors regardless of the power they hold, families, parties and educational institutions they belong to. The University Grants Commission (UGC), university-college and hall-hostel administration and proctor should take responsibility in these incidents. In case of such incidents, actions should be taken according to the law and order. 

The BCL president said the aim of BCL is to create successful entrepreneurs and leaders for all sectors, not to involve in extortion or unethical criminal activities or use the student politics as a weapon of earning money.   

With forming a sexual harassment cell in all educational institutions, Saddam Hossain urged the education ministry to formulate the final draft of prevention against bulling and ragging in education policy soon.