BUET to expel any student involved in ragging, politics

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology has issued a notice highlighting the penalties for ragging and political involvement of its students following protests over the killing of Abrar Farhad.

An Abrar Fahad murder protester painting graffiti on the BUET campus on Saturday. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove An Abrar Fahad murder protester painting graffiti on the BUET campus on Saturday. Photo: Asif Mahmud Ove

The statement, signed by Students' Welfare Director Mizanur Rahman, has set ‘permanent expulsion’ as the highest level of punishment for the students involved in ragging and politics.

The initiative fulfils the three latest demands raised by protesting students and paves the way for the top engineering university to resume its classes after two months of inactivity. 

The latest decision is based on the recommendations made by a committee, according to the notice. The punishment for ragging will be meted out in three categories depending on the level of offence. 

Students have been boycotting classes to press home their 10-point charter of demands following the grisly murder of Abrar Fahad, a second-year student of electrical and electronic engineering, at the Sher-e-Bangla Hall on Oct 6. The university authorities have since been gradually implementing the demands of the disgruntled students.

On Nov 22, the disciplinary board of BUET expelled 26 students over the murder of Abrar based on a report by a committee formed by the authorities to investigate the killing.

It also suspended six other students for different terms for the breach of rules.

The protesters postponed demonstrations on Oct 15 when the authorities met some of their demands after accepting all, but the students did not return to classes as some other demands were yet to be fulfilled.

After police submitted the charge sheet, the protesters set three conditions for withdrawing the strike, including permanent expulsion of those charged in the case.

They also demanded punishment to those involved in previous ragging incidents on the campus and inclusion of the ban on politics in the university’s ordinance.