Students of Begum Rokeya University staged a protest on Monday against the administration’s failure to take legal or disciplinary action over the past eight months in connection with the murder of Abu Sayed, a student and one of the first martyrs of the July uprising.
Protesters alleged the involvement of members of the banned student organization Chhatra League and university officials in the incident.
Over 100 students took part in a procession around the university campus and later gathered in front of the vice chancellor's office, demanding justice.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Shawkat Ali, speaking at 5:30pm, assured students that a case will be filed within a week against the individuals involved, including students and staff.
During the rally, students, including Sumon Sarkar from the English department, Al Mursalin Muna and Imran Ahmed from the Mathematics department, addressed the crowd.
They expressed outrage that despite clear video evidence circulating on social media and repeated promises from the administration, no action had been taken.
According to university sources, key perpetrators in the July movement include leaders of the BRUR unit of Chhatra League: President Pomel Barua, General Secretary Shamim Mahafuz, vice presidents Fazle Rabi, Bidhan, Abdullah Al Noman Khan and Tanvir, Joint General Secretary Mominul, Organizing Secretary Dhananjay Kumar Togor and Office Secretary Babul, among others.
Other individuals reportedly involved include Rifat, Arifuzzaman Imon, Gaziur, Shahid Hasan and Mamun, along with eight to nine outsiders and university administrative personnel.
Despite compelling evidence, at least 25 officials alleged to have played direct or indirect roles in the attack were reportedly left out of legal proceedings, as their inclusion was feared to destabilize campus operations, protesters claimed.
On February 27, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’s coordination team submitted two complaints to the vice-chancellor, naming both current university staff and external individuals as assailants.
One complaint named 26 current university employees for their involvement in attacks on student protesters.
The complainants cited CCTV footage and photographic evidence to support their claims.
Footage from the university’s surveillance cameras revealed the involvement of various officials.
Among them were Anwar Hossain (deputy registrar of Mathematics), Abul Kalam Azad (former VC’s personal assistant and a security officer), who allegedly coordinated with ruling party activists to intervene against the protests.
Former section officer Moniruzzaman Palash was seen wielding a stick and issuing instructions, while assistant registrar Moktarul Islam and former employee union president Mahbubar Rahman also allegedly participated in the violence.
Other identified individuals included Rafiqul Islam Russell (Proctor’s office), Shahin Mia aka Shahin Sardar (Security and Sanitation assistant registrar), Riazul Islam (deputy director of Pensions), Nuruzzaman (computer operator), Masum Khan (employee association secretary), Apel (Proctor's pffice), Riazul (Accounts), Dipu (Finance and Banking Section officer), Sabuj Mia (staff, Establishment Section-1), Rezaul Islam Labu (Cafeteria assistant registrar), Ershaduzzaman Kajol (deputy exam controller) and Storekeeper Tufan.
Shamsur Rahman Sumon, a fellow protester of Abu Sayed, said that despite intentions to file charges, the administration failed to act.
“If swift steps are not taken, we will be compelled to relaunch the movement,” he warned.
Another protester, Robayed Jahin, expressed disappointment: “I am disheartened by the lack of progress. The administration has shown slowness from the beginning. Even after forming an investigation committee, they failed to file a case, which reflects administrative failure.”
Farzana Jannat Tushi, a faculty member from the Statistics Department who stood by students during the July movement, said: “Abu Sayed’s death was the result of the long-standing failures of successive administrations. In the July movement, 1,400 people died in different contexts—but Abu Sayed died right in front of his campus. A student provoked his own peer to kill him. This administration has done nothing to address that.”
Vice-Chancellor Dr Shawkat Ali said: “We have identified the attackers correctly and recorded testimonies of injured students. A formal case will be filed within a week.”