The cruelty broke my heart but not my dreams, says Phulpori

"The cruelty broke my heart but not my dreams," said Phulpori, the female student of Islamic University in Kushtia, who was tortured allegedly by two BCL leaders at the Islamic University in Kushtia on February 12.

In an interview with The Daily Star today, Phulpori said she intends on attending every class and won't give up on her education.

"I was scared and saddened by the incident, and I don't want it to happen to any other student. I strongly urge the university administration to take steps to prevent such incidents in the future and ensure the safety of students," she told our Pabna correspondent.

Around 12:30pm today, Phulpori left her home in Shibpur village under Pabna's Atgharia upazila for the university to meet the inquiry committee that has been set up in this regard.

Following the incident on February 12, she submitted a written complaint to Deshratno Sheikh Hasina Hall's provost.

On February 14, the victim filed a complaint with the IU authorities accusing Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders Sanjida and Tabassum of torturing her for hours on the night of February 12 for staying at a student dormitory without informing them.

A writ petition was also filed by Gazi Mohammad Mohsin, an alumni of the university and a lawyer, with the HC on February 16.

The HC ordered the two female leaders accused in the case to leave the hall. The HC also directed the university to look into the matter seriously, and submit a report in this regard within the next 10 days.

Alongside the committee appointed by the university, the HC also asked the deputy commissioner of the district to form a separate committee to further enquire into the incident, and submit a report in the next seven days.

Authorities of the Chhatra League unit of the university suspended Sanjida Chowdhury and Tabassum Islam on February 17.

Phulpori testified on February 18 before the probe committees formed to investigate the incident. The two separate enquiry committees formed by the university authorities recorded the statement.

She later left the university campus under police security.