JnU Officer Accused of Harassment After Telling Female Student to Stop Using Staff Bus

Allegations of harassment have surfaced against an officer of Jagannath University (JnU) for misbehaving with three students on a staff bus. The victims said they boarded the staff bus after missing the regular student transport. The officer demanded their ID cards, questioned the validity and made objectionable comments about boarding the staff bus. He even told one female student not to use the staff bus again.

The incident took place before 8 am today Monday (January 12) while the students were on their way to the university. The accused officer has been identified as Khandakar Habib ur Rahman, deputy director of the university's Finance and Accounts department.

Seeking remedy, victims Accounting department 18th batch student Maruf Islam Himadri, IER department 18th batch student Mitu Akter and Philosophy department 17th batch student Samia Rahman have submitted an application to the vice-chancellor.

Requesting immediate action, they wrote in the application, "This morning I boarded the staff bus (No 13) after missing the university bus. Later, an officer of the university Habib (Finance department) misbehaved with us. He took our ID cards. After checking he saw we are university students. Still he took the ID cards and humiliated us. He asked us to get down from the bus and use public transport."

They further said in the application, "The officer told us this bus is for staff, not for students. Later he kept our ID cards and returned them when we got down. In this situation, two of our sisters broke down mentally."

Victim student Samia Rahman said, "We boarded the staff bus after missing the student bus. He asked me who I am, then demanded the ID card. After seeing the card he said it has no validity, you will not board our bus again with this card. He kept another sister's ID card with him for nearly five minutes."

Another victim Maruf Islam Himadri said, "After boarding the bus he said I come on this bus every day. I said this is the first time today. Then he said, you will not come on this bus again, pay fare and come on local bus. This bus is not for you."

When contacted about the incident, accused officer Habib ur Rahman told The Daily Campus that there are thousands of students at the university, he does not know everyone. That is why he asked for ID cards. Is that a crime on my part? We always take university students on staff bus. If any student is in trouble or likely to miss exam, we take them on our bus.

Asked about allegations of speaking loudly and making objectionable comments, he said he does not remember how he spoke or what he said at that time. His colleagues who were on the bus can say better.

The incident has created resentment among general students. They say due to limitations in the university's transport system, students often have to board alternative buses. In such cases, this kind of behaviour is unacceptable and humiliating. Students have urged the administration to take notice and appropriate action.

In a Facebook post on his own ID regarding the incident, JnUCSU Law Secretary Habib Mohammad Faruk expressed anger and wrote that syndicate is ongoing among university officers, Habib saheb of Finance department is one of the powerful persons. He considers the staff bus his own property. He misbehaves when students board after missing their bus. The incident mentioned in the application is today's. Our action will continue against those who consider the university their own property.

On the matter, university Transport Administrator Tarek Bin Atik said, "Any student's need comes first, especially female students' convenience first. For our female students, if they miss the varsity bus, coming from Kajla or Shanir Akhra becomes even more difficult. It is everyone's duty to help students. If any officer or teacher misbehaves in such matter, in my opinion punishment should be given, if it happens in my case also punishment should be given."

University Proctor Professor Tajammul Haque said students have informed him about the matter. We have asked them to submit complaint. Since the accused is a university officer, action will be taken after discussing with the vice-chancellor and registrar upon receiving the students' complaint.