12 JU Students Questioned Over Night-Time Ragging Disguised as 'Manners Lessons'

A group of senior students from the History Department at Jahangirnagar University (JU) have been accused of ragging freshers late at night under the guise of teaching them "manners." In connection with the incident, the university administration detained and interrogated 12 accused students. The suspects later confessed to the ragging after the victims filed written complaints.

The incident took place on Friday (July 3) night at the Jahangirnagar University School and College ground.

All the accused are students of the 54th batch of the History Department. They have been identified as Subhashish Roy, Nasim Uddin Majumder, Abu Abtahi Anik, Naimul Hasan, Abdullah Mahdi, Isfaq Hadi Sikto, Md. Raihan Khan, Kazi Shah Jamshed Alam Nabil, Saifullah Mansur Anan, Md. Mahfuzur Rahman Anto, Shri Kartik Chandra Roy, and Naim Ahmed Sojib.

According to victims and eyewitnesses, several students of the 55th batch of the History Department were called over the phone at around 11:00 PM and told to gather first in front of the Mohua Mancha and later at the university school and college ground. After being made to wait for some time, they were taken to an isolated spot adjacent to the field. The seniors then allegedly subjected them to verbal abuse involving their parents, forced them to hold their ears while standing, and harassed them mentally and physically in the name of "formal introduction" and teaching manners.

Md. Ehsanul Haq, a victimized student, said, "Our parents were abused in foul language. We were forced to hold our ears and stand, and mental and physical torture was inflicted upon us in the name of a formal introduction. Later, JAKSU leaders Mohammad Ali Chishty, Husne Mobarak, and the proctorial team arrived at the scene and rescued us."

Raj Khan, another student from the same batch, stated, "This is not the first incident. Before this, we were taken to the Central Field late at night and tortured physically and mentally on various occasions under the guise of teaching manners. We demand exemplary punishment for this incident."

In a written confession submitted to the proctorial team, the accused students stated, "We called 13 students of the 55th batch of the History Department to the JU School and College ground and ragged them under the guise of teaching manners."

Husne Mobarak, Health and Food Affairs Secretary of JAKSU and a member of the Anti-Ragging Cell, said, "Upon receiving information around 2:00 AM, JAKSU Executive Member Mohammad Ali Chishty and I went to the spot. After finding truth in the allegations, the administration was informed. Later, assistant proctors and security officials arrived and took the accused to the security office. During interrogation, they confessed to the incident."

He added, "At a time when the entire campus is vocal against ragging, taking students to an isolated place late at night and behaving in this manner is highly highly condemnable. JAKSU will maintain a strict stance against such incidents."

Regarding the matter, Assistant Proctor Professor Dr. Abdur Razzak said that the allegations were found to be true upon visiting the spot after receiving the information. The individuals involved were subsequently brought to the security office to gather information. The matter will be presented at the meeting of the proctorial body, and the university authorities will take necessary action based on the meeting's decision.