With law enforcers and authorities of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University (BSMRSTU) having failed to identify culprits behind mysterious computer thefts in 2017 and 2018, 49 computers were once again stolen reportedly within a week from the Central Library of the university this year.
On Monday, a seven member probe committee was formed, led by Professor Md Abdul Kuddus Mia, dean of the Faculty of Law in the university and Registrar Dr Md Nuruddin Ahmed. The university authorities said a case would be filed in this regard.
Torikul Islam, an assistant security officer of the university, said the computers were there when the library was inspected on July 20. "On Sunday (August 9) we found that the computers had been stolen through the windows of the library which were broken.”
"We tried to collect the CCTV footage, but found out that all footage before July 27 got deleted. The footage gets automatically deleted every 14 days. It is assumed that as 14 days passed on July 27, therefore the footage got erased.”
"Out of 30 security guards of the university, 20 were absent from July 23 without showing any reason, so there was a gap in security. Everything was fine on July 20. We are assuming that the theft has occurred sometime from July 20 to July 27," said Torikul adding that they are trying to recover the erased footage from the device memory.
Previously in 2018, and in 2017, 47 and 50 computers respectively got stolen but none involved could be identified.
Gopalganj Sadar police station officer-in-charge Md Monirul Islam said police visited the spot after they have heard of the theft and the incident would be investigated if a complaint is filed. "We found the incident of theft mysterious during our inspection."
A number of students of the university, seeking anonymity, said a case had been filed regarding the previous computer thefts but the authorities couldn't recover any footage despite having CCTV surveillance.
The students opined that if the culprits involved are brought to book, such thefts could be prevented in future.
