JU sparks criticism for suspending ex-BCL leader 7 months after his death

Students at Jahangirnagar University have expressed surprise and criticism over the administration's suspension of Shamim Mollah, an ex-BCL leader who died in a mob attack last September, labeling it a sign of administrative indifference.

Earlier on Monday (28 April), the JU authority suspended 12 students, including Shamim, over allegations of attacking protesting students during the July uprising.

A letter, signed by acting registrar of the university ABM Azizur Rahman, showed that the 12 students were suspended following the decision by a syndicate meeting held on 17 March.

The syndicate committee found proof of the involvement of the 12 students in the violent activities committed in the campus on 14-17 July, the letter said.

However, the letter showed Shamim Mollah, who was killed in mob beating on 18 September 2024, as one of the students who had been suspended, sparking harsh criticisms by the students.

Shamim was handed over to Ashulia Police Station after the beating, where he died two hours after being under police custody, our correspondent reported.

Sazzad Hossain, a student from the English department of JU, said, "The delay in publishing the list of the attackers and their suspension along with listing someone who had died seven months ago show the apathy of the authorities."

"Shamim's death was a much talked about issue in the campus. Such a mistake is unexpected," Sazzad added.

Professor Emran Jahan, chairman of History department at JU, said, "A dead person cannot be included in the list of suspended students. There must have been a mistake. Maybe the authority has published the list based on old information."

Taking responsibility for the mistake, Acting Registrar Azizur said, "The education section of the university had prepared the list based on information received from the syndicate. The mistake has been committed unintentionally while the letter was being signed by the 37 departments of the university separately."

"The letter will be corrected and sent to the respective department," Azizur added.

However, some students of the university said such apathy of the administration regarding the suspension order is a proof of the administrative anarchy and mismanagement of JU.