2 Chittagong University students detained over extortion, assault, harassment
Six complaints prompt university action against two students.
Highlights:
- Six complaints lodged against the two students
- Visitor alleges cash and bKash extortion
- Another student alleges assault and blackmail
- Students also face Chhatra League link allegations
Chittagong University's (CU) proctorial body detained two students following six separate complaints alleging extortion, robbery, assault and harassment, before handing them over to police yesterday (19 September).
The detained students are Md Shimul Fakir of the Department of Islamic History and Culture and Fahim Ahmed Opi of the Department of Persian Language and Literature. Both are from the 2023-24 academic year.
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They were detained on Saturday evening and handed over to police around 8:45pm after the complaints were submitted to the university authorities.
Md Ashhab Uddin, a student of the Agricultural Training Institute in Hathazari, alleged that he went to CU's Jharna area on Saturday afternoon, where Shimul and two associates threatened him and took Tk150 in cash and Tk1,020 through bKash.
According to university officials, the accused admitted to the incident during questioning.
CU Assistant Proctor Khairul Islam Sujon said the visitor complained that the accused took photographs and videos from his phone before collecting the money.
"After receiving the complaint, we questioned them and found evidence supporting the allegation. Later, when the victims filed a case with the police station, we handed the two students over to police," he said.
Members of the Bagerhat Student Association separately accused Shimul of behaving inappropriately with women, robbery and harassment.
CU Lab College student Mosharraf Hossain alleged that Shimul and Fahim called him to an area near the bridge east of Shaheed Farhad Hossain Hall on 7 September and assaulted him.
He alleged that they injured his eye, photographed his bloodied face and threatened to blackmail him before taking his mobile phone.
CU Central Students' Union (Chaksu) Law and Human Rights Affairs Secretary Rabbi Tawhid said the complaints included threatening visitors, extorting money, assaulting people, injuring an eye, taking and checking phones, and recording videos of couples visiting the campus.
He alleged the footage was subsequently used to blackmail people for money.
Rabbi also claimed that the two students had faced complaints of sexual harassment involving female students from their respective departments and the university, and that a CU College student had recently been assaulted and injured.
The students have also faced allegations of links to the activities-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League. The organisation has been described as banned in recent reports.
Rabbi said evidence linking the two students to the organisation was found after their phones were checked.
Responding to the allegation, Shimul said he had made Facebook posts on 15 August about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other Awami League-related issues because he personally liked those subjects.
He said former Chhatra League CU unit Vice-President Abrar Shahriar contacted him after seeing the posts and asked whether he was involved with the organisation.
"I made those posts because I liked them," Shimul said, adding that he developed a relationship with Shahriar after 5 August.
Rabbi Tawhid, Executive Members Sohanur Rahman Sohan and Adnan Sharif were present during the detention.
Rabbi said they approached a visitor after receiving the initial complaint and identified the accused from photographs stored on the complainant's phone before reporting the matter to the university proctor.
The university said the two students were subsequently handed over to police after complaints were lodged with the authorities.
