Following the recent Jagannath University (JnU) student Fairuz Abantika’s suicide, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed has said that physical and mental torture can not take place in educational institutions.
"NHRC has come to know about the suicide of the JnU's Law Department student. It is necessary to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure exemplary punishment for the provocateurs,” he said in a statement sent to the media on Saturday.
Dr Kamal Uddin Ahmed said: "Female students often become victims of harassment. Strict measures need to be taken in this regard. The university authorities must be especially careful towards the students and attentive to creating a student-friendly environment. No form of physical or mental abuse can take place in educational institutions.”
"Such incidents prove that we need to emphasize more on morality and integrity in the educational field. Without the development of advanced mentality and values, the educational field will remain incomplete. It is essential for all educational institutions to take appropriate measures to maintain a proper environment in the education sector," he added.
He has called on the relevant ministries and the government to implement the draft law on preventing sexual harassment prepared and sent by the National Human Rights Commission promptly.
NHRC Public Relations Officer Eusha Rahman said: “Before committing suicide, the JnU student had accused a classmate of sexual harassment and various types of oppression in a Facebook post. She also made accusations against a teacher who is in charge of an assistant proctor. It has been learned from various media reports that this teacher has not properly fulfilled his duties but rather behaved in a way with the deceased student, which contributed to the provocation for suicide.”
“The commission has expressed its outrage over this incident. Additionally, the commission is deeply concerned about the incidents of harassment of female students and moral degradation in the educational sector that are coming to light recently.
Fairuz Abantika, a student of the 2017-18 academic year of Jagannath University (JnU) Law Department, hanged herself at her Comilla residence after accusing her classmate and the assistant proctor of the university in a Facebook post around 10pm on Friday.
Meanwhile, the university administration relieved Assistant Proctor Deen Islam from her duty and suspended classmate Amman Siddique.
Besides, the university administration has formed a four-member probe committee.
In her Facebook post before committing suicide, Fairuz Abantika said that her classmate Amman Siddique and Assistant Proctor Deen Islam would be responsible for her suicide.
“If I ever die by suicide, my classmate Amman Siddiqui and Assistant Proctor Deen Islam, who supported him, will be solely responsible for my death. I complained to the proctor's office that Amman was threatening me offline and also online but I did not get any benefit. Deen Islam scares me in many ways for the sake of Amman. He said that expelling me is very easy for him. I know I will not get any justice here,” she wrote.