Two students of Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet) were allegedly assaulted by a contractor on the campus for taking pictures of felled trees.
The incident took place near the power substation opposite the central mosque of Cuet on Monday afternoon.
The accused contactor is Nayem Khan.
According to sources, two contractor companies, Yakub and Brothers and NK Traders, jointly undertook the construction work of the laboratory. Accused Nayem Khan supervised the work on behalf of the joint venture.
Shobhan Lal Sarkar, a third-year architecture student at Cuet, said: "I saw some trees being cut down near the substation and went to take pictures. Suddenly, some people came from a distance to snatch the phone from my hand. At this time, Nayem Khan and his associates behaved rudely with the students present."
Meanwhile, Siam, a second-year student of the Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering (ETE) Department, was threatened and grabbed by the collar when he protested the incident.
At that time, Nayem Khan told the students: "Don't think of us as teachers. We are people of the MP (Local Parliament Member). Even the VC can't do anything to us."
When the students expressed their anger over the incident, the director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare and the director of the Planning and Development Department arrived and warned Nayem Khan. It is reported that Nayem Khan confessed his guilt and expressed regret for the incident.
In this regard, Deputy Director of the Planning and Development Department Md Tarekul Alam said: "This incident is not acceptable at all. The person involved did not understand how he should have spoken. They must behave appropriately."
Following the incident, a written complaint was lodged with the Directorate of Students' Welfare of the university, demanding appropriate punishment for the accused contractor and the cessation of his activities at Cuet.
Director of the Directorate of Students' Welfare Dr Rezaul Karim said that the incident will be reviewed based on the students' written complaint and measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.