Mob lynching at JU, DU: Nahid demands legal action after investigation by university administrations

Information and Broadcasting Adviser Nahid Islam has demanded that legal action be taken against those responsible for the ‘tragic deaths’ of two youths at Jahangirnagar University and Dhaka University yesterday (18 September).

“The incidents of mob lynching at Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University are tragic. Legal action should be taken subject to investigation by the university administration as soon as possible,” the adviser wrote in a post from his Facebook account at 5:00pm today.

His post comes following two separate incidents of two youths being beaten to death at JU and DU.

At DU, a youth, identified as Tofazzal, was beaten to death after being suspected of being a thief at the Fazlul Haque Hall of Dhaka University yesterday (18 September). 

Eyewitnesses said that Tofazzal was perceived as a thief and detained by students around 8pm. He was beaten indiscriminately till 10pm, fed at the canteen, then beaten again until he collapsed.

Around 12am, Tofazzal was taken to DMCH with critical injuries, where the on-duty doctors declared him dead, said eyewitnesses.

On the other hand, at JU, former Chhatra League leader Shamim Ahmed alias Shamim Molla succumbed to his injuries after being beaten by the students yesterday afternoon.

In his Facebook post, Nahid also addressed the recent debate over banning outsiders on public university campuses.

He stated that controlling the ‘outsiders’ on public university campuses is neither possible nor right. 

“Specific policy is needed to ensure that the academic environment in the university campuses is not disrupted. At the same time, [it needs to be ensured that] there is space for political-cultural affairs and an opportunity for the university to interact with the public,” the adviser said.

He also said, “It is more urgent to control the traffic in Dhaka University than controlling the outsiders.”

In his post, Nahid also called on the university administrations to file cases against those who have tortured students during the recent movement and in the previous years.

“A fact-finding commission needs to be formed for listing the torturers in all educational institutions on the initiatives of the university administrators and administrative measures should be taken,” the adviser wrote.

“It is not possible to control the agitated mobs unless swift legal and administrative action is taken against torturers and terrorists. But students also have to play a responsible role here. Mob justice is not acceptable and will not bring any solution,” he added.