Ragging turns into a weapon of torture in universities

Many freshers are injured after such assaults and harassments by seniors in major universities

Ragging, once used both in the eastern and western universities to orient fresh students about campus culture, has now turned into a weapon of torture, both mental and physical. After the murder of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad, images of torture of ordinary students by BCL supporters are coming out.   

At Jahangirnagar University (JU): “Who is the mother******, who said something? Come here at once. How many of you are here? Are you f****** kidding me? Come in front of me. You b******! Go and hang yourself from the window………”.

These words were used by second-year students when they physically and mentally assaulted juniors in the so-called "Gono Room" of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rhaman Hall of Jahangirnagar University.  These seniors are protected by the ruling party backed student organisation, the Bangladesh Chhatra League's JU unit.

This is a common scenario in all dormitories of the university. Generally, the university authorities accommodate freshers in the "Gono Room" of dormitories where over 100 new students stay for at least six months.

Political leaders use their supporters among the second-year students to have control over the freshers.  They go to the "Gono Room’ every midnight and carry out brutal oppression on freshers in the name of ragging and teaching them manners. Such oppression is part of the ragging culture in every JU dorm nowadays.

Although the university authorities have taken the initiative to end ragging and oppression in departments in the last few years, they have failed to stop such activities.

Every year, when freshers come to the university, ragging becomes the burning issue on the campus. But it is buried after several weeks as the university authorities show reluctance.

However, the issue has come to light after the death of BUET student Abrar, who was beaten to death in the dorm.

After the death of Abrar, a video has become in social media. It drew criticism of the activities of the ruling party-backed student body and the hall authorities.

Many fresh students are injured seriously after such assault and harassment by seniors.

This year, Faisal Alam, a first-year student of the mathematics department, became sick due to harassment in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rhaman Hall.

Last year, Azwad Rahman of the environmental sciences department became sick in Shahed Rafiq Jabbar Hall as seniors physically assaulted him in the name of ragging. The same year, Mizanur Rahman of the computer sciences department became psychologically imbalanced due to torture in the name of ragging.

In 2017, Shariful Islam of the chemistry department became sick after being harassed in the "Gono Room".

So, every year many students face lot of sufferings in the name of ragging in dormitories. Although the hall authorities are informed about the incidents, not much is done to end such activities.

When contacted, JU BCL president Jewel Ran, said: "None of our activists is involved in ragging. We have stopped this culture in the ‘Gono Room’. If any fresher complains to me against any of us, I will take action."

President of the Provost Committee, Prof. Bashir

Ahmed, said: “I have been informed about the incidents. We have made enough attempts to end such activities on the campus this year. The university authorities have taken the initiative to raise awareness against such misdeeds.”

Owing to such activities, many freshers do not want to stay in dorms. This correspondent spoke to some freshers who are not staying in dormitories.

Ariful Islam, a first-year student, said: “I stayed in the Gono Room at Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall for a night. Our immediate seniors mentally harassed me. I couldn’t tolerate such an environment. So, I left the dorm the next day.”

First-year students are not able to do well in the final exams. They cannot even take part in regular classes. Many of them drop out.

Director of the JU Student Welfare and Counselling Centre, Prof. Rasheda Akhter, said: “We do not have enough opportunities to take initiatives in this connection. If we can resolve the seat crisis, we will abolish the gono room. Then, our problem will be solved.”

It was not possible to meet the JU vice-chancellor, Prof. Farzana Islam, even after several attempts.

At Dhaka University (DU), students residing in halls are forced almost every day to join political programmes of the BCL as it seeks to increase the number of student activists in its fold.

BCL leaders, who have been dominating the student body on the campus for more than a decade, compel first-, second- and third-year students to join their political programmes in guest rooms of halls, terming it “guest room programme”. They also force students to attend political programmes on the campus and outside, interrupting their classes and exams. If any student is found absent without permission of the senior leaders, he/she is punished.

Such punishments include verbal and physical abuse, cancellation of hall seats and even ouster from halls.

A student of Kabi Josimuddin Hall said: “First, they teach us to take the oath: They give us residence in the hall and we’ll attend every political programme of theirs, regardless of classes or exams. But I’ve come here to study overcoming several obstacles and not to be someone’s follower.”

Describing these practices as “mental harassment”, another student of Sir Salimullah Muslim Hall said: “They treat us like dirt. We can do nothing to change this situation. They always shout and use abusive language even over trifling matters. In guest rooms, you always have to stand still and straight. It seems a court martial is going on.”

Another second-year student of Shahid Sergent Jaharul Haque Hall described how this repressive circle goes on. “I have to control my immediate juniors. If they are at fault over something or skip political programmes, my seniors will abuse me,” he said.

In the guest rooms, leaders do nothing but “teach” the newcomers about a set of “manners”, including dealing with political leaders, delivering political speeches and chanting slogans in rallies and processions.

The BCL’s DU unit general secretary, Saddam Hussain, thinks that the inadmissible situation is occurring due to an accommodation crisis. Resolving this problem is a lengthy process and will take four to five years.

Sir AF Rahman Hall provost, Prof. KM Saiful Islam Khan, said: “We discussed the crisis at the Provost Standing Committee. The gono rooms are destroying intellectual development of our students. Some of the students are getting addicted.”

At Rajshahi University (RU), 15 rooms at nine male residential halls are being used as torture cells by leaders and activists of the BCL. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and Mader Bux Hall are especially used for torture.

Most of the time, BCL men rag, torture, beat up students, suspecting them to be involved in Shibir and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal politics on the campus. In the last 10 years, BCL men have tortured more than 300 students on the campus. The rooms are 222, 229, 231, 234 at Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, 115 at Mader Bux Hall, 206 at Shaheed Samsuzzoha Hall, 243 at Sayed Amir Ali Hall.

On October 19, 2018, BCL men detained at least 14 students from in front of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall and forcibly took them to room No. 232 of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall. They tortured them and four of them—Liton, a masters’ student of the IslamicsStudies department and also sports secretary of Shibir, Muhaiminun, second-year student of the same department, Nasim Hasan, second-year student of the social work department, and Shahrukh, second-year student of the Arabic department—were critically injured.

In Chittagong University (CU), BCL leaders often force non-political students to vacate rooms in the dormitories. If the students refuse to leave, BCL men torture them, alleged several students who have been victims.

Besides, every room of senior BCL leaders becomes a torture cell during the freshers’ intake test every year.  

Wishing anonymity, one of the victims said that torturing of non-political students and ragging admission seekers is a tradition for the BCL men on the CU campus.  

On February 1 this year, some activists of the CU BCL beat up and drove out a residential student from AF Rahman Hall. That time, they also physically assaulted a former vice-president of the CU Journalists’ Association.

Following this incident, the student filed a complaint with the CU Proctor’s office, where he mentioned that some BCL activists, followers of the former joint secretary of the CU BCL, Abu Sayeed, drove him out from his room after beating him up.   

On September 10, 2018, a campus-based journalist of Chittagong University (CU) was also beaten up by BCL men as he protested an incident of ragging. Following this incident, the CU authorities suspended 11 of its students who were known as CU BCL activists and followers of Iqbal Hossain Tipu, current general secretary of the CU BCL unit.

Ragging turns into a weapon of torture in universities

Many freshers are injured after such assaults and harassments by seniors in major universities

Ragging, once used both in the eastern and western universities to orient fresh students about campus culture, has now turned into a weapon of torture, both mental and physical. After the murder of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) student Abrar Fahad, images of torture of ordinary students by BCL supporters are coming out. At Jahangirnagar University (JU): Who is the mother******, who said something? Come here at once. How many of you are here? Are you f****** kidding me? Come in front of me. You b******! Go and hang yourself from the window. These words were used by second-year students when they physically and mentally assaulted juniors in the so-called Gono Room of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rhaman Hall of Jahangirnagar University. These seniors are protected by the ruling party backed student organisation, the Bangladesh Chhatra Leagues JU unit. This is a common scenario in all dormitories of the university. Generally, the university authorities accommodate freshers in the Gono Room of dormitories where over 100 new students stay for at least six months. Political leaders use their supporters among the second-year students to have control over the freshers. They go to the Gono Room every midnight and carry out brutal oppression on freshers in the name of ragging and teaching them manners. Such oppression is part of the ragging culture in every JU dorm nowadays. Although the university authorities have taken the initiative to end ragging and oppression in departments in the last few years, they have failed to stop such activities. Every year, when freshers come to the university, ragging becomes the burning issue on the campus. But it is buried after several weeks as the university authorities show reluctance. However, the issue has come to light after the death of BUET student Abrar, who was beaten to death in the dorm. After the death of Abrar, a video has become in social media. It drew criticism of the activities of the ruling party-backed student body and the hall authorities. Many fresh students are injured seriously after such assault and harassment by seniors. This year, Faisal Alam, a first-year student of the mathematics department, became sick due to harassment in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rhaman Hall. Last year, Azwad Rahman of the environmental sciences department became sick in Shahed Rafiq Jabbar Hall as seniors physically assaulted him in the name of ragging. The same year, Mizanur Rahman of the computer sciences department became psychologically imbalanced due to torture in the name of ragging. In 2017, Shariful Islam of the chemistry department became sick after being harassed in the Gono Room. So, every year many students face lot of sufferings in the name of ragging in dormitories. Although the hall authorities are informed about the incidents, not much is done to end such activities. When contacted, JU BCL president Jewel Ran, said: None of our activists is involved in ragging. We have stopped this culture in the Gono Room. If any fresher complains to me against any of us, I will take action. President of the Provost Committee, Prof. Bashir Ahmed, said: I have been informed about the incidents. We have made enough attempts to end such activities on the campus this year. The university authorities have taken the initiative to raise awareness against such misdeeds. Owing to such activities, many freshers do not want to stay in dorms. This correspondent spoke to some freshers who are not staying in dormitories. Ariful Islam, a first-year student, said: I stayed in the Gono Room at Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall for a night. Our immediate seniors mentally harassed me. I couldnt tolerate such an environment. So, I left the dorm the next day. First-year students are not able to do well in the final exams. They cannot even take part in regular classes. Many of them drop out. Director of the JU Student Welfare and Counselling Centre, Prof. Rasheda Akhter, said: We do not have enough opportunities to take initiatives in this connection. If we can resolve the seat crisis, we will abolish the gono room. Then, our problem will be solved. It was not possible to meet the JU vice-chancellor, Prof. Farzana Islam, even after several attempts. At Dhaka University (DU), students residing in halls are forced almost every day to join political programmes of the BCL as it seeks to increase the number of student activists in its fold. BCL leaders, who have been dominating the student body on the campus for more than a decade, compel first-, second- and third-year students to join their political programmes in guest rooms of halls, terming it guest room programme. They also force students to attend political programmes on the campus and outside, interrupting their classes and exams. If any student is found absent without permission of the senior leaders, he/she is punished. Such punishments include verbal and physical abuse, cancellation of hall seats and even ouster from halls. A student of Kabi Josimuddin Hall said: First, they teach us to take the oath: They give us residence in the hall and well attend every political programme of theirs, regardless of classes or exams. But Ive come here to study overcoming several obstacles and not to be someones follower. Describing these practices as mental harassment, another student of Sir Salimullah Muslim Hall said: They treat us like dirt. We can do nothing to change this situation. They always shout and use abusive language even over trifling matters. In guest rooms, you always have to stand still and straight. It seems a court martial is going on. Another second-year student of Shahid Sergent Jaharul Haque Hall described how this repressive circle goes on. I have to control my immediate juniors. If they are at fault over something or skip political programmes, my seniors will abuse me, he said. In the guest rooms, leaders do nothing but teach the newcomers about a set of manners, including dealing with political leaders, delivering political speeches and chanting slogans in rallies and processions. The BCLs DU unit general secretary, Saddam Hussain, thinks that the inadmissible situation is occurring due to an accommodation crisis. Resolving this problem is a lengthy process and will take four to five years. Sir AF Rahman Hall provost, Prof. KM Saiful Islam Khan, said: We discussed the crisis at the Provost Standing Committee. The gono rooms are destroying intellectual development of our students. Some of the students are getting addicted. At Rajshahi University (RU), 15 rooms at nine male residential halls are being used as torture cells by leaders and activists of the BCL. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and Mader Bux Hall are especially used for torture. Most of the time, BCL men rag, torture, beat up students, suspecting them to be involved in Shibir and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal politics on the campus. In the last 10 years, BCL men have tortured more than 300 students on the campus. The rooms are 222, 229, 231, 234 at Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall, 115 at Mader Bux Hall, 206 at Shaheed Samsuzzoha Hall, 243 at Sayed Amir Ali Hall. On October 19, 2018, BCL men detained at least 14 students from in front of Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Hall and forcibly took them to room No. 232 of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall. They tortured them and four of themLiton, a masters student of the IslamicsStudies department and also sports secretary of Shibir, Muhaiminun, second-year student of the same department, Nasim Hasan, second-year student of the social work department, and Shahrukh, second-year student of the Arabic departmentwere critically injured. In Chittagong University (CU), BCL leaders often force non-political students to vacate rooms in the dormitories. If the students refuse to leave, BCL men torture them, alleged several students who have been victims. Besides, every room of senior BCL leaders becomes a torture cell during the freshers intake test every year. Wishing anonymity, one of the victims said that torturing of non-political students and ragging admission seekers is a tradition for the BCL men on the CU campus. On February 1 this year, some activists of the CU BCL beat up and drove out a residential student from AF Rahman Hall. That time, they also physically assaulted a former vice-president of the CU Journalists Association. Following this incident, the student filed a complaint with the CU Proctors office, where he mentioned that some BCL activists, followers of the former joint secretary of the CU BCL, Abu Sayeed, drove him out from his room after beating him up. On September 10, 2018, a campus-based journalist of Chittagong University (CU) was also beaten up by BCL men as he protested an incident of ragging. Following this incident, the CU authorities suspended 11 of its students who were known as CU BCL activists and followers of Iqbal Hossain Tipu, current general secretary of the CU BCL unit.