JU suspends 9 teachers, 289 Chhatra League activists over attack on students during July uprising

Jahangirnagar University (JU) has suspended nine teachers and 289 students, allegedly involved with the banned Chhatra League, for their roles in attacks on students during the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement between 14-17 July. The decision was made based on an investigation committee‍‍`s report, which was reviewed in a syndicate meeting on 17 March.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan confirmed that disciplinary measures were taken against the accused individuals. The suspended teachers were found to have been complicit in the attacks carried out by Chhatra League activists and police. Additionally, a structured committee has been formed to further investigate the involvement of other faculty members. Among the disciplinary actions, former Vice-Chancellor Professor Md Nurul Alam and registrar Abu Hasan, who have already retired, will have their pension benefits revoked due to their alleged role in facilitating the violence.

For the expelled students, the university administration has categorized the penalties into three groups. Those who have completed their studies will have their certificates suspended. Students who have taken their exams and viva will have their results withheld. Currently enrolled students will face temporary expulsion.

The investigation committee, formed on 19 September, submitted its preliminary report on 17 January. It detailed several incidents of violence, including an attack on students at Rabindranath Tagore Hall from 11 pm to 3 am on 14 July. Another attack took place on 15 July near Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall at 7 pm, followed by another at midnight near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence, where both teachers and students were targeted with shotgun pellets. On 17 July, another violent clash occurred in front of the administrative building at 3 pm, where shotgun pellets were used again.

In a separate decision, eight students have been expelled for six months over the mob beating that led to the death of former JU student and Chhatra League organising secretary Shamim Ahmed alias Shamim Molla. The expelled students include Raju Hasan Razon from the 46th batch of Government and Politics, Raju Ahmed from the 45th batch of Government and Politics, Md Mahmudul Hasan Raihan from the 50th batch of English, Zubair Ahmed from the 44th batch of History, Hamidullah Salman from the 49th batch of English, Md Atikuzzaman Atik from the 49th batch of Management Studies, Sohag Mia from the 47th batch of Computer Science and Engineering, and Ahsan Labib from the 49th batch of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering.

Shamim Molla was allegedly involved in the 15 July attack on teachers and students near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence. On 18 September, he was beaten near Joy Bangla Gate (Prantik Gate) by a group of students, after which he was taken into university custody, where he was allegedly assaulted again. He was later handed over to the police and taken to Gonoshasthaya Samaj Vittik Medical College Hospital, where he was declared dead.

Following the incident, JU authorities temporarily suspended the eight accused students and filed a murder case under Section 302 of the Penal Code against them and 20-25 unidentified individuals. Two of the accused, Atikuzzaman Atik and Mahmudul Hasan Raihan, were later arrested, with Atik securing bail while Raihan remains in custody. The six-month expulsion period is considered effective from the syndicate meeting held on 19 September last year, meaning the students‍‍` punishment officially ends on 19 March.