Both mental and physical torture on the freshers in the country’s higher educational institutions has crossed the limit in recent time. Several groups of senior students mostly belong to the student wings of different political parties, have been humiliating, abusing and torturing the freshers in the name of orientation.
This orientation culture has now turned into a weapon of torture and assault both mentally and physically. Two female students at Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in Barisal (SBMC) allegedly fell victim to ragging recently. Moreover, journalists attempting to cover the story were assaulted, further escalating the situation, according to media reports.
The incident unfolded when two female students were summoned to a room in the college dormitory and were harassed during the late hours of Thursday (24 August). They were subjected to prolonged standing, verbal abuse, and threats, and had their personal belongings, including her phone, forcibly examined. Later, as one of the student's condition deteriorated to the point of unconsciousness, she was admitted to the emergency department of SBMC hospital.
The university authorities
must act to put an end
to ragging culture
immediately
It is very unfortunate to see a group of teachers attacking journalists when they tried to talk to the affected student and her mother, leading to the vandalism of a Channel 24 camera.
Such barbaric incidents of torture also took places at University of Dhaka, University of Chittagong, University of Rajshahi, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Begum Rokeya University, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University and other public universities in the last few months. However, university authorities have expelled some students for their involvement in ragging the freshers. Many victims have become traumatised due to inhuman and barbaric physical and mental torture at their respective residential halls and campuses. This is a common scenario in all dormitories of the all public universities.
We are concerned over inhuman and cruel torture and intimidation of freshers at university campuses. The university authorities must act to put an end to ragging culture immediately.