Studying in prestigious public universities has always been the students’ dream. After completing intermediate they choose to study in the country’s reputed higher educational institutions. Besides, students believe if they get admitted to any public university, their future will be bright. The newly admitted students believe the joy of being a student can truly be realised on a beautiful and large campus like that of Dhaka, Rajshahi, Chittagong or Jahangirnagar universities where creativity floats in the air and spirit of freedom is evident everywhere. But the new innocent students’ dreams are shattered every year in the beginning of their academic session when they are tortured or intimidated in many ways for different lame excuses on the university campuses by their senior ones and activists of different political parties’ student wings.
The senior students in different groups are seen roaming on the campuses, asking the fresh students to do something unusual like parading the campus from guest room in residential halls in the name of teaching ‘manners’. A first-year mass communication student at Dhaka University was allegedly bullied and mentally tortured by a few seniors in the guest room of Bijoy Ekattor Hall on Wednesday night. Around 10pm, Akhtarul Islam was summoned to the guest room by some second-year students. Reportedly, he was first bullied and then made to stare at a bright light for over 10 minutes -- an act that could damage one's eyes. Akhtarul's alleged ordeal continued till he became unconscious and had to rush to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital for treatment.
The university authorities must take
necessary steps to eliminate guestroom
torture and ragging immediately
His only fault was that he could not attend the last guest room meeting as his father was unwell. His seniors forced him to stare at one of the bulbs in the room for 10 minutes and he became unconscious.
If any student differs with their senior ones, he or she is beaten up. And even in case of personal enmity, innocent students are also branded bad people and are tortured by the seniors. We are gravely concerned over such inhuman and cruel torture and intimidation of a fresher at Dhaka University.
We need to ensure that new students feel safe and comfortable at his or her respective campuses. In this regard, the university authorities cannot avoid their responsibility. We think the university authorities do not have any control over halls of residence, particularly halls for male students, as the accommodation crisis and seat distribution irregularities still persist even after the reopening of halls after long closure due to the Covid situation. Therefore, the university authorities must eliminate such guestroom torture and ragging immediately.
