JUST student tortured for 4 hours, rescued unconscious

Ismail Hossain was admitted to Jessore General HospitalProthom Alo

A student, Ismail Hossain, was tortured at Jashore University of Science and Technology (JSU) after being confined to a room of the residential hall for four hours. It has been alleged that three students affiliated with the University Chhatra League tortured him to extract money.

The tortured student was rescued unconscious from room 528 of Shaheed Mashiur Rahman Hall of the university on Sunday evening by his classmates. Later he was admitted to Jessore General Hospital with major injuries.

The victim is a fourth year student of Nutrition and Food Technology Department of the University. His is from Balarampur village of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila.

The university administration sealed the room number 528 of Moshiur Rahman Hall later at night. Apart from this, the hall administration has issued a temporary expulsion order to Salman M Rahman, a fourth year student of the computer and science technology department and Soheb Ali, a student of the same department (previously expelled) on the charge of torture.

The provost of the hall, Ashrafuzzaman Zahid, said that two of the three students involved in torture were identified and temporarily expelled from the hall. Further action including permanent expulsion will be taken if the victim files a formal complaint.

Soheb and Salman are associated with BCL politics even though they do not have any posts in BCL. The students said that they are followers of Sohel Rana, president of the University Chhatra League. When asked, Sohel Rana told reporters, "The organisation will not take the responsibility of the misdeed of an individual. Chhatra League never condones extortionists. And they do not hold any posts in BCL.”

Ismail's classmates and other students said, Ismail lives in a hostel at Palbari intersection in Jashore town. Soheb Ali and Salman M. Rahman were demanding a contribution of 200,000 taka from Ismail at various times that he refused to give. Soheb and Salman called Ismail to the dorm yesterday afternoon during class hour. After that, Ismail was tied up and tortured with rods, pipes and belts from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, students of the nutrition and food technology department say that Ismail is not involved in politics. He was missing since afternoon on Sunday. Even his phone was switched off. His friends started looking for him at the time of iftar as he was fasting.

At one point, they went to Shaheed Mashiur Rahman hall and found him unconscious in room no. 528. They recovered him from there and gave him primary treatment. Later, Ismail was admitted to the Jashore General Hospital as his condition worsened.

Meanwhile, the students of the nutrition and food technology department formed a human chain in front of the main gate of the university that very night. The speakers at the human chain said Ismail was tortured for extortion in room no. 528 of Shaheed Mashiur Rahman hall. They (the students involved in the torture) took away his phone by threatening him of stabbing. Following that, they kept him in confinement in the room and tortured him mentally and physically and left him there unconscious.

The speakers demanded exemplary punishment of those involved in the torture and their expulsion from the university.  The University Journalists’ Association also formed a chain at the same place with the same demands.

The students alleged that although the room (room no. 528) was allocated to eight students, only Shoheb and Salman stayed there exerting their influence as members of university Chhatra League. Of them, Soheb was expelled from the hall for consuming cannabis and other disciplinary issues. Despite that, Soheb used to stay in room no. 528.

Speaking regarding this, vice-chancellor Md Anwar Hossain said, “The provost body is investigating the matter. The works are underway to form a probe committee as part of legal actions against the students involved in the crime. The probe committee will find out if anyone else was involved in the crime or not.”