IU incident wouldn't be happened if there was guideline to prevent bullying: HC

The High Court on Sunday commented that if there were guidelines to prevent bullying and ragging in the educational institutions, then the harassment at Islamic University (IU) couldn't be carried out.

A HC bench comprising justice JBM Hasan and justice Razik-Al-Jalil made the comment while conducting a hearing on a draft guideline submitted for the fifth time to prevent bullying. The court set 8 May for the next hearing to know the progress of it.    

A supreme lawyer, Tanvir Ahammed, filed a writ with the High Court on 16 August in 2021, attaching a BBC report, over bullying. The HC issued a rule after conducting a primary hearing on the writ on 22 August of the year.

In the rule, the HC asked why the inactiveness and indifference of the educational institutions to stop bullying would not be declared illegal and the instructions would not be given to make a guideline to prevent bullying in the school.         

Meanwhile, the body of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College student, Aritri Odhikari, was recovered on 3 December in 2018. A day after the incident, Prothom Alo ran a story in this regard.

Later, four Supreme Court (SC) lawyers brought the issue to the court’s attention. After primary hearing, the HC issued the suo moto rule.

Deputy attorney general Tushar Kanti Roy told Prothom Alo that the draft guidelines were submitted to the court on behalf of the education ministry.

The court set 8 May for the next hearing to know the progress of the guideline.