Senior students of a women’s hall at Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) have been accused of calling several junior students to a room and ragging them. One student fell ill and has been admitted to hospital.
The students who complain say it happened on Thursday afternoon in room 1036 of the university’s Ganatantra Hall.
The student in hospital is Anika Afrin, a 2025-26 session student of the department of information and communication engineering (ICE).
The students allege that several women of the junior batch were called to the room on the pretext of a picnic. There they were questioned on various matters, verbally abused and asked about personal matters. At one point their mobile phones were taken and checked. Two students later fell ill and one was taken to hospital.
Anika Afrin said they were called to the room to talk about a picnic. Once they were there the seniors said nothing about a picnic and began to scold them. Various accusations were made against her. She was told to make 10 kinds of calls like a four-legged animal. She was asked why she had gone to the campus lake, why she had gone to the reading room and why she was seen with boys. Her phone was even checked to see whether she had sent a friend request to any boy.
Anika said she began to feel unwell at one stage. The muscles of her neck were tightening and she had trouble breathing. She then lay down, and does not remember what happened after that.
Another student, who asked not to be named, said one of their friends fell ill after prolonged ragging. She alleged that although they asked repeatedly for her to be taken to hospital, permission was not given at once. When her condition had not improved after more than an hour they began to cry, and permission was then given.
The students allege that several women of the 2024-25 session called them to room 1036 of Ganatantra Hall on Thursday afternoon. They named Samiha, Urmi, Nishat, Shreya, Mim, Maria, Afia, Farzana and Ifti among the accused. Anika, Asha, Jhuma, Masuma, Faria, Sathi and Jannat of the junior batch are alleged to have been harassed and ragged.
Attempts were made to reach two of the accused, Samiha and Urmi, by mobile phone, but they could not be contacted.
The university’s proctor, Prof Dr Kamruzzaman Khan, and student adviser, Prof Dr Rashedul Haque, visited the student in hospital. Other teachers of the proctorial body and the student adviser’s office were also present.
Prof Kamruzzaman Khan said the university administration has always taken a firm stand against ragging, which is not acceptable in any form. If a complaint of such an incident is received, it will be investigated immediately and the necessary action taken.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report