Four including BCL men arrested over sexual harassment of CU student
Four including three students of Chittagong University have been arrested over a case filed in connection with alleged sexual harassment of a female student of the university. The cellphone of the victim was recovered from the possession of the arrested.
Two the four arrested are activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ruling Awami League. The two others are known as followers of BCL’s university unit president.
Company commander of RAB-7 Mahfuzur Rahman confirmed the development on Saturday morning.
The arrested persons are Mehedi Hasan alias Hridoy, Azim Hossain, Babu and Shaon, an outsider. Mehedi is a student of 2017-18 session of English department and Azim a student of 2019-20 session of History department. Both are BCL activists.
RAB arrested them from different areas of Raujan and Hathazari upazilas on Friday night.
A female student was physically assaulted by five youths while she was going to the Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with her friend around 10:00pm on 17 July.
The goons also recorded the incident on video and threatened to make it viral. They also beat up another student who protested the assault. Later, they fled with the mobile phones and wallets of the two students.
The victim filed a case with Hathazari police station on Wednesday.
BCL CU unit’s president Rezaul Haque confessed both Mehedi and Azim are BCL activists.
He said organisation would take step against them if the allegation is proven.
Earlier on Tuesday, BCL central committee served Rezaul with a showcause notice on allegations that he tried to prevent the victim from submitting written complaint to the university proctor. The student later filed the complaint two days later.
Rezaul, however, denied the allegation.
The campus erupted in protests after the incident came to light. Female students of the residential halls took position in front the vice chancellor’s bunglow. The registrar of the university assured the students that night of taking against those who are involved with the assault within four working days.
The proctorial body would resign if they fail to take the said action, the registrar assured the agitating students.