Fulpori Khatun, a first-year student who endured a brutal assault at Islamic University in Kushtia, has expressed her disappointment at the university's decision to expel the five assaulters, including a now-suspended leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), for only one year.
She had demanded that the assaulters be expelled for life from the university.
In a teleconversation with Prothom Alo on Saturday afternoon, she said, “I don’t think I will continue my study here, my study will come to an end. They will surely return and do something to me again. I will have no way but to flee this place.”
She fears the assaulters would simply make a comeback after one year and cause harm to her again. The authorities do not have the capacity to take any action to prevent it.
She was at Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib hall of the university during the conversation.
The university's disciplinary committee, in a meeting around 11:00 am on the day, decided expulsion of five students, including suspended BCL leader and prime accused of the assault Sanjida Chowdhury, for one year. They will not be allowed to participate in any academic activities, including classes and exams, during the period.
Shahadat Hossain, proctor of the university, said it is the maximum punishment under the university regulations.
Apart from Sanjida, other expelled students are Halima Akter Urmi of the fine arts department, Israt Jahan Mim of the law department, and Tabassum Islam and Muabiya Jahan of the finance and banking department.
Sanjida was vice-president of BCL’s IU unit while the others were its activists. However, the student front, which is affiliated with ruling Awami League, suspended them all soon after the torture came to light.
Reacting to the university’s decision, Fulpori Khatun said, “The wrong they have committed to me does not deserve such an insignificant punishment. They received a meager penalty. I had a demand for their lifetime expulsion.”
Still, they (the assaulters) do not admit to assaulting me, or doing anything wrong. They spread lies on social media, blaming me. I live in constant fear
She also feared that the assaulters would simply make a comeback after one year and cause harm to her again, anytime, anywhere. The university administration does not have the capacity to take any action to prevent it.
“Still, they (the assaulters) do not admit to assaulting me, or doing anything wrong. They spread lies on social media, blaming me. I live in constant fear," she added.
Fulpori Khatun, a first-year student of the finance department, lodged a complaint, saying that she was detained and tortured for four and a half hours in a room of Sheikh Hasina Hall of the university on 12 February.
She accused Sanjida Chowdhury and her four followers for carrying out the torture. She also alleged that they stripped her and videoed the scene. They even threatened to kill her if she disclosed the ordeal to anyone.
Later, Fulpori stood brave against the unjust and lodged a written complaint to the proctor, hall provost, and student advisor detailing the torture.
In a further development, the High Court, in response to a writ petition, directed the university authorities to form a committee and look into the incident