Five Expelled over Ragging at JKKNIU: Univ decides to revise order following protest

Five students of Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University (JKKNIU) were expelled recently over ragging two freshmen.

Two first-year students, one of them female, were ragged by their seniors in the name of "learning manners" last week. Upon finding the allegations true, the university expelled Shayra Tasnim Anika and Tuama Nusrat Mim, both second-year students of sociology; Md Zakir Hossain and Tanvirul Islam of local government and urban development department, and Mehdi Hasan, a third-year student of electrical and electronics engineering.

The university had formed a four-member anti-ragging committee headed by Student Affairs Adviser Dr Sheikh Sujon Ali to investigate the incident. They found the five students to be involved in ragging and the decision to expel them was taken according to the probe committee's report, said the university's registrar.

Meanwhile, a group of students of the university on Thursday locked the administrative building of the university, demanding withdrawal of the expulsion order.

The five expelled students submitted a note of apology to Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof Dr AHM Mustafizur Rahman yesterday, seeking a meeting with the VC, said Proctor Dr Uzzal Kumar Pradhan.

"At a meeting with the VC as chair today [yesterday] afternoon, it was decided that the expulsion orders will be revised in the next syndicate meeting," added the proctor.

Following the decision to revise the expulsion orders, the students withdrew their protest programme around 2pm, said Nayeem Abdullah, a protester.

At the earlier syndicate meeting on Thursday, Shayra and Tuama were expelled for one year; Md Zakir was expelled for three years; while Tanvirul and  Mehdi were expelled for two years each, said university registrar Dr Md Humayun Kabir.

Quoting the syndicate meeting, the registrar also said any form of ragging is prohibited at the university.

Shayra and Tuama were found guilty of ragging a first-year female student of theatre and performance studies department. The victim had fell sick from the "severe mental pressure", and had to be admitted at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) on February 6.

Another first-year student of computer science and engineering also fell ill due to "mental pressure," and was admitted to MMCH on the same night.

Both students were released from the hospital on the following day.