16 to face action over throwing polytechnic principal into pond

A video grab of CCTV footage that shows a group of ‘BCL activists’ threw Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute principal Farid Uddin Ahmed into a pond on the campus on 2 November 2019. UNB File Photo
A video grab of CCTV footage that shows a group of ‘BCL activists’ threw Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute principal Farid Uddin Ahmed into a pond on the campus on 2 November 2019. UNB File Photo

The authorities of the Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute are going to take punitive actions against 16 students in connection with the incident of throwing its principal into a pond on the campus, reports news agency UNB.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the academic-cum-administrative parishad recently after the probe body submitted its report, said principal Farid Uddin Ahmed.

It decided to expel four students, withhold the main certificates of five others for the next five year and give transfer certificates to seven students. All of them are leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of ruling Bangladesh Awami League.

The meeting also decided to keep the student politics halted on the campus to ensure a congenial atmosphere and sought cooperation from political parties and police, said the principal.

Those face expulsion include prime accused Kamal Hossain alias Sourav, Raihanul Islam, Murad Hossain and Sajib Hossain.

On 2 November, a group of BCL men threw the Polytechnic Institute principal into the pond on the campus for his refusal to allow two students to fill up forms for examination as they failed to register adequate class attendance.

The incident was captured in a surveillance camera.

The principal filed a case against 50 people with Chandrima police station in the city. Later, the case was transferred to Detective Branch of police.

The institute formed a probe body to look into the incident.

Investigation Officer of the case Mahbub Hasan said they arrested 18 people, including the five mentioned in the FIR, over the incident.