Student harassed at RU on suspicion ‘Shibir Spy’ in Chhatra Dal

A student at Rajshahi University (RU) was allegedly interrogated and harassed throughout the night at Shaheed Shamsuzzoha Hall on suspicion of maintaining contact with Islami Chhatra Shibir while attempting to join the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal.

The student, who made the allegation, claimed he was labelled a “Shibir spy,” beaten and threatened in various ways.

The Chhatra Dal leader accused of the incident, however, denied the allegation of assault. He said information found on the student's mobile phone showed that he had been in contact with a Shibir leader and that the student later admitted his mistake and apologised.

The incident took place at the guest room of Shaheed Shamsuzzoha Hall late Monday night (September 14).
Mohammad Asif, a student of the Mathematics Department, said, “My family is in a very difficult financial situation. Because of this, I repeatedly requested the hall provost for a seat. Later, when I asked about vacant seats in the mass room, I was told to contact Fuad bhai, the hall president of Chhatra Dal. When I spoke to him, he said I would have to join Chhatra Dal and that I would be given a seat if I did so. Given my family’s circumstances, I agreed to participate in Chhatra Dal programmes in the hope of getting a seat.”

He said, “Later that night, when I went to his room, he took my mobile phone, saying he would add me to a group. He then checked various things on my phone and accused me of being involved with Shibir and coming to the hall as a ‘Shibir spy.’ I denied the allegation and requested that he arrange a seat for me. At one point, he reprimanded me, and later several other Chhatra Dal leaders and activists arrived. They dragged me to the mass room, where I was assaulted and beaten. Joha Hall secretary Sabuj Ahmed was also there and he assaulted me as well.”

Asif alleged, “Even after the assault, I was questioned about various matters and repeatedly told that I had come there as a Shibir spy. I was threatened in various ways. I was even told that no one would be able to do anything even if they killed me, and that I could be thrown into a pond. They also tried to frighten me by citing incidents from the period when Chhatra League was in power. I became so terrified that even when I was in front of the provost, I could not say anything.”

He further said, “Later, various videos were recorded using my mobile phone. I was made to say different things on camera. I was even made to write that I wanted to become a leader. I was also made to sign a document.”

“I am now extremely frightened. I never imagined that I would face such a situation at the university. I am seeking support from the university administration, the central students’ union, my department and my teachers. I want a proper investigation into what happened to me, action against those involved, and assurance that I can continue my studies at the university safely,” Asif said.

Responding to the allegations, Mehedi Hasan Fuad, president of the Chhatra Dal unit at Joha Hall, said, “First of all, I did not know the student very well beforehand. I had spoken to him on the phone at most once or twice during the RUCSU election. I met him three days ago in front of the provost’s room. He told me that he had been staying in the hall illegally for about three months and that his seat had since been reassigned. He said he had nowhere to stay and asked what he should do. I told him to speak to the provost.”

He said, “At that time, he told me that his family background was BNP and that he would join Chhatra Dal if he were taken into the organisation. I asked him who had told him that he would get a seat simply by joining Chhatra Dal. He then fell silent. I also told him, ‘You had been staying illegally in the hall for three months. Why didn’t you tell us then? Who kept you in the hall illegally?’ He said he had not understood the matter that way. But after checking various information and documents on his phone, I felt that people associated with Shibir had kept him in that room illegally for three months.”

Fuad said, “After that, he asked me to look into his situation. Yesterday evening, he called me again and wanted to meet. I was outside at the time. I told him to come to my room around 11pm. After he arrived, I recorded a video using his own phone. I asked him that since he wanted to join Chhatra Dal, and we could see that he had also been in contact with Shibir during the RUCSU election, whether there might be any problem with Shibir later if he joined us. He denied having any connection with Shibir and claimed that everyone in his family was associated with BNP.”

He said, “I then took his phone to add him to our hall Chhatra Dal group. At that point, I saw conversations on his phone with Rafsan, the hall Shibir president. The conversations showed that they had known each other for a long time and had communicated about various matters. I also saw information indicating that Rafsan had instructed him to keep recording while speaking with me and to record conversations before and inside the provost’s room and send them to Shibir. There was also information on his phone about monitoring the section officer’s room.”

Fuad said, “Based on this information, I felt that an attempt was being made to use the student to discredit or tarnish the image of Chhatra Dal. I believe Shibir was using him as part of a plan against the president of Joha Hall Chhatra Dal.”

Regarding the allegation of assault, he said, “In another video message, I directly asked him whether we had assaulted him in any way. He clearly said that he had not been beaten. Rather, he held my feet, apologised and said that he had made a mistake and should not have done what he did. He asked me to forgive him this time and said that he would remain with us in the future.”

Abdur Rahman Rasan, president of the Joha Hall unit of Chhatra Shibir, said there was no connection between the student and the hall unit of Shibir.

“I knew him only as a general student. As the hall Shibir president, students come to me to discuss accommodation-related matters. Whenever our students as well as general students approach us about the hall, we send them to the provost to discuss residential matters according to the rules,” he said.

Regarding the screenshots, he said, “You are talking about a screenshot in which he was asked to record. But they have not published the screenshots showing the preceding and subsequent parts of the conversation explaining why he was asked to record. They have presented only a small portion of the conversation. If the screenshots of the full conversation, including what came before and after, were provided, it would be clear why he was asked to record. The earlier screenshots make the matter clear. I can provide those screenshots if you want.”

He added, “When they approached me about a seat, I immediately sent them to the provost. The provost said he would be given a seat after two months, and the Joha Hall Chhatra Dal president also told him that he would arrange a seat. That is why they have not brought forward screenshots of the preceding and subsequent parts of the conversation.”

RU Chhatra Dal president Sultan Ahmed Rahi said, “When the boy was caught red-handed in the hall president’s room, the hall Chhatra Dal president called me and asked what should be done. I clearly instructed him that no untoward incident should take place. No matter how late it was, he had to be handed over to the hall provost and the university proctor. I made it clear that it is the university administration’s responsibility to ensure justice, not yours. The responsible thing to do was to hand him over to the appropriate authorities through the hall administration without any harassment or unpleasant behaviour. And that is what they did.”

On the matter, RU Chhatra Shibir president Mujahid Faisal said, “Before 2024, most of those who were beaten after being labelled as Shibir members were ordinary students. A similar attempt at labelling has been made here. He was tortured in a hall room. I think an attempt is being made to establish a torture cell again, just as Chhatra League leaders used to torture people at Bangabandhu Hall.”
He further claimed that the student’s family members had not been able to contact him.

“This proves that we are in a horrific situation. This incident also demonstrates that Joha Hall has lost its normal environment. The administration must ensure that the university remains a safe and normal place,” he said.

Asked about the incident, university Proctor Dr Mahbubur Rahman said, “I have not yet learned about the matter. The university administration has discussed the incident with leaders and activists of Chhatra Shibir. As I was not present there, I cannot comment at this moment. I will be able to comment after learning the actual details of the incident.”

University Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Mamunur Rashid said, “We have heard about the incident. We will investigate what actually happened and take appropriate action.”