CU student assault: Chhatra League activists among 5 arrested

Five people, including two activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League, have been arrested in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a female student of Chittagong University (CU).

A team of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested four of the accused from the CU campus on Friday night and another one from the Bahaddarhat area on Saturday, RAB-7 Captain Lieutenant Colonel MA Yusuf told The Business Standard (TBS) on Saturday.

The arrestees were identified as Mohammad Azim, 23, a second-year student of the History Department of CU, Nurul Absar alias Babu, 22, a second-year student of the Anthropology Department of CU, Nur Hossain alias Shaon, 21, a first-year student of Hathazari Government College, Masud Rana alias Masud, 22, a second-year student of the same college, and Md Saiful.

RAB-7 Captain MA Yusuf told TBS, "Five of the six accused were arrested so far and drives are underway to arrest another one. The arrestees are involved in the Chhatra League politics. Mohammad Azim, an activist of the university unit Chhatra League, led the whole incident."

"Two motorcycles and three mobile phones containing videos of the incident were recovered from their possession," the RAB captain said.

According to students of CU, the university unit Chhatra League has multiple factions. Accused Mohammad Azim is the supporter of CU Chhatra League President Rezaul Haque Rubel.

Although the arrested people are involved in Chhatra League politics, they are basically snatchers. Harbouring outsiders on campus, they assault and rob university students at times, students said.

CU unit Chhatra League President Rezaul Haque Rubel and another leader Pardip Chakrabarty also confirmed to TBS that both Mehedi and Babu are Chhatra League activists.

RAB Captain MA Yusuf said, "This circle was mainly run by Azim. Being a local, he influenced the politics and administration of the Chhatra League. It was under his leadership that the outsiders conducted the assault on campus."

Meanwhile, the authorities of Chittagong University have permanently expelled two of its students - Mohammad Azim and Nurul Absar alias Babu - for their involvement in the assault.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the university's Board of Health, Residence and Disciplinary Committee on Saturday evening, said the university Proctor Dr Rabiul Hasan Bhuiyan.

On July 17, a female student of CU was physically assaulted by five youths while she was going to the Botanical Garden from Pritilata Hall of the campus with her friend around 10 pm.

The assaulters also captured the incident on video and threatened to make it viral. Later, they fled with the mobile phones and wallets of the two students.

A five-member body was formed to investigate the incident after the victim filed a written complaint to the proctor.

A case was also filed under the Women and Children Repression Act.

On July 19, the authorities of CU set 10 pm as the deadline for female students to return to their respective dormitories. The decision sparked protests among students.