DUCSU election: 2 committees formed to investigate threat of 'gang rape' against female student

Dhaka University administration has formed two committees to investigate the incident where a student who filed a writ petition regarding the DUCSU election was threatened with gang rape. One committee is a three-member fact-finding committee from the university's Proctor's Office, and the other is a two-member committee from the DUCSU and Hall Parliament Election Commission.

The student had filed a writ petition challenging the candidacy of SM Forhad, the GS candidate of the 'Oikobodho Shikkharthi Jote' (United Student Alliance) panel supported by Islami Chhatra Shibir in the DUCSU election.

In response to that writ, the High Court on Monday issued an order to postpone the DUCSU election. Following this, Ali Hossain, a student of the university's sociology department from the 2020-21 academic year, posted a threat on Facebook to 'gang rape' the petitioner student.

Monday afternoon, after Ali Hossain made the Facebook post, leaders of various organisations, students, teachers, and others condemned the incident. Today, the University Teachers' Network held a press conference demanding exemplary punishment for the individual who issued the gang rape threat. In protest of the threat and demanding justice, the student wing of the BNP, Chhatra Dal, held a protest march on campus.

Later, in a press release, the Dhaka University Proctor’s Office announced the formation of a three-member committee to investigate the gang rape threat.

According to the statement, the threat was issued using vulgar and offensive language on social media. Based on formal complaints submitted by SM Farhad, the GS candidate from the United Student Alliance panel, and Nayeem Hasan, the vice-president candidate from the 'Aparajeyo 71 Adamya 24' panel, the university has formed a special three-member investigation committee.

Assistant Proctor Muhammad Mahbub Kaiser has been appointed as the convener of the committee, with Assistant Proctors Shehreen Amin Bhuiyan and Md Rezaul Karim Sohag as members.

Additionally, the DUCSU and Hall Union Election Commission has formed another two-member fact-finding committee to investigate the incident. Professor Kazi Mostak Gausul Haque, the Returning Officer, has been appointed as the convener of the committee, and Assistant Proctor Jahangir Alam has been appointed as a member. They have been asked to submit their report within the next three working days.

This information was shared by Chief Returning Officer Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin at a press conference held on Tuesday afternoon at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of the university. He also outlined several updates regarding the election process.

Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin said that a committee had been formed to address cyberbullying. The committee met with the Chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and is working on ways to reduce incidents of cyberbullying.

The Chief Returning Officer further stated that the names of online groups or pages accused of misconduct related to the DUCSU election, along with the names of their administrators, have been submitted to the BTRC and the Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Professor Mohammad Jasim Uddin also stated that meetings had been held with the DMP Commissioner regarding campus security, security on election day, and the security of the vote-counting process. Additionally, he mentioned that a letter has been sent to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure that university vehicles transporting non-residential students to vote do not face any obstacles.

Regarding security in the dormitories, the Chief Returning Officer said that the hall administrations have already been instructed to prevent any outsiders from staying in the halls during the election period. He also mentioned that, for the first time, visually impaired students will be given the opportunity to vote using the Braille system.