Phone call lured JU's Shamim to campus

Shamim Mollah, a leader of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and a student of the 39th batch at Jahangirnagar University, was allegedly lured to his death by a phone call, according to multiple friends and close associates.

Several classmates, who wished to remain anonymous, told Views Bangladesh that Shamim maintained friendly relations with political opponents on campus. During his time at the university, Shamim had good relations with leaders and activists from various organizations, including the Chhatra Dal (student wing of the BNP), leftist political parties, and other university-centric groups.

His friends suspect that these associations may have led to his death. They claim that it was due to his past connections that Shamim was called to meet on September 18 on the Jahangirnagar University campus to discuss various issues. Investigations also revealed that Shamim’s mobile phone was removed from the scene as soon as the attack began.

A classmate, speaking anonymously, alleged that his phone was taken to prevent the call list from being revealed. Confirming this, Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station, Abu Bakar Siddique, told Views Bangladesh, "We searched Shamim when we took him into custody, but we didn’t find a mobile phone. I asked people on campus, and they also said that Shamim was searched when he arrived, and his phone wasn’t found. Although we don’t have Shamim’s phone, we will try to check his last call records using technology. This will reveal important information. The arrested suspects are being questioned thoroughly at the police station. Please give me some time. The investigation will start full swing tomorrow (Monday) after the accused are sent to the court."

Speaking to several classmates and friends of Shamim, it was learned that on Wednesday afternoon, Shamim was waiting for someone he knew at a tea stall near the university's Joy Bangla Gate. Earlier, someone familiar with him had called him to the campus under the pretext of providing security. Trusting this individual due to their past relationship, Shamim decided to meet them and waited at the gate. At this time, three or four students, having prior information, arrived and began beating him. They then dragged Shamim inside the campus, where more people joined and continued to assault him with sticks and rods.

Around 6 PM, the university’s proctorial team and security officials rescued Shamim and brought him to the proctor’s office. Shortly after, several members of the university’s Chhatra Dal forcibly entered the proctor’s office by breaking the collapsible gate and further beat the injured Shamim in the corridor. At around 8:30 PM, the proctorial team handed over the critically injured Shamim to Ashulia Police Station. He was taken to Savar’s Gonoshasthaya Medical College at 9 PM, where doctors declared him dead. The death was confirmed by Officer-in-Charge of Ashulia Police Station, Abu Bakar Siddique.

Several eyewitnesses, speaking anonymously, said that former Chhatra Dal president Saeed Bhuiyan was present during the beating. Saeed Bhuiyan, a student of the 33rd batch, had graduated long ago and was not supposed to be on campus at that time.
However, in a press release issued on August 19, current Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin claimed that there was no Chhatra Dal committee at Jahangirnagar University at present. They further stated that no leaders or activists of the Chhatra Dal or any affiliated organization were present at the scene.

In connection with Shamim’s murder, a case has been filed naming eight individuals. They are Ahsan Labib (49th batch, Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering), Raju Ahmed (45th batch, Government and Politics), Mahmudul Hasan Raihan (50th batch, English), Jubayer Ahmed (44th batch, History), Hamidullah Salman (49th batch, English), Md. Atikuzzaman (49th batch, Management Studies), Sohag Mia (47th batch, Computer Science and Engineering), and Mohammad Rajon Mia (46th batch, Government and Politics).

Ahsan Labib and Md. Atikuzzaman were coordinators of the university's branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, while the others were members of Chhatra Dal. Preliminary evidence of their involvement in the murder led the university administration to suspend these eight students temporarily on Thursday. However, three of the suspended individuals were no longer current students. The suspension of former students sparked protests on social media, with students questioning the efficiency of the administration.

On the night of September 18, general students of Jahangirnagar University held a protest rally against Shamim’s murder.

While the general student body claims the incident was premeditated and deliberate, the university administration has referred to it as "mob beating" and formed a six-member investigation committee headed by Professor Swadhin Sen from the Department of Archaeology. The committee has been given 30 working days to submit a report with recommendations.

When asked why the incident was referred to as "mob beating," why the investigation committee was given such a lengthy 30-day timeline, and how Shamim was beaten inside the proctor’s office after the gate was broken, university authorities stated that no comments could be made while the investigation was ongoing.

Meanwhile, in response to Shamim’s murder, both former and current students of the university organized a human chain on Saturday at 2 PM at the Shaheed Minar, demanding proper security, an academic environment on campus, a fair investigation, and exemplary punishment for those responsible. After the human chain, a memorandum was submitted to the Vice-Chancellor.

The slain Shamim was the organizational secretary of the Jahangirnagar University Chhatra League. He was the son of Yaj Uddin Molla, a former employee of Jahangirnagar University, and a resident of the Kathgara area of Ashulia Union.