Case filed over CU student’s harassment, CU BCL president show-caused

A case was filed over alleged sexual harassment of a female student of Chittagong University (CU) on the campus by some miscreants.

"On Tuesday night, the victim student filed the case against five unidentified people under the Women and Child Abuse Act at Hathazari Police Station," Ruhul Amin Sabuj, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police station told The Business Standard.

On the other hand, the central unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has issued a show cause notice to CU unit BCL president Rezaul Haque Rubel accusing him of "violating discipline" by "interference" in the incident.

According to the case statement, a student of the university was physically assaulted by five miscreants in the area adjacent to Pritilata Hall of the university on 17 July night. When her friend prevented them, the victim student was naked and then captured a video. Later, the miscreants snatched away their mobile phones.

The university administration formed a five-member probe committee, making CU Proctor Rabiul Hasan Bhuiyan as convener to investigate this incident. The committee was asked to submit its report within seven days.

Meanwhile, after this incident, when the victim student went to the proctor's office to file a complaint, BCL president Rezaul Haque Rubel allegedly stopped her from doing that.

According to a press release issued by the central BCL President and General Secretary, the central BCL issued a show-cause notice to Rezaul, accusing him of "violating discipline" a day after the incident.

The show-cause notice reads, the CU unit BCL President has been asked to submit a written explanation to central BCL within three working days why organisational action will not be taken against him for his involvement in "undisciplined" activities.

CU unit BCL president Rezaul said, "There is no question of barring the student from lodging a complaint. A quarter is playing a political game by involving me in the matter. I am going to Dhaka. I must have made a mistake somewhere. I will explain it in person." 

Following the incident of harassment of a female student, Chittagong University (CU) has instructed resident female students to return to their halls before 10pm every day.