SUST forms 3-member probe committee over alleged rape of female student, gives 3 days to submit findings

Collage of the two Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) students — Swagata Das Partha (left) and Shanto Tara Adnan (right) — who have been arrested over raping a classmate after rendering her unconscious and filming nude videos. Photos: Collected

The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) administration in Sylhet has formed a three-member investigation committee took look into the allegations of two students raping a female student after rendering her unconscious.

The committee was formed today (21 June) with the university’s Proctor Prof Md Mokhlesur Rahman as its head. The committee has been asked to submit its report within three working days.

The other two committee members are Dr Md Saiful Islam from the Civil Engineering Department and Belal Shikder from the Food Engineering and Tea Technology Department.

Proctor Mokhlesur told The Business Standard, “We have already started working. We will submit the report within the stipulated time. We will try to find out if anyone else is involved in this. Action will be taken against whoever is found to be involved.”

Yesterday (20 June), the survivor student filed a case at Kotwali Police Station against five people.

The case specifically names Shanto Tara Adnan and Swagata Das Partha and accuses three other unnamed individuals.

Police detained Shanto and Partha on Thursday night (19 June). They were later shown as arrested in the case. Both are students of the 2021-22 session in SUST’s Social Science Department.

Kotwali police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Ziaur Haque said both of them will be presented in court today.

According to university sources, Shanto was involved in the politics of the now-banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League (AL). He was a follower of SUST Chhatra League President Khalilur Rahman.

Shanto was seen in various Chhatra League programmes during the AL rule. He was also a member of the university’s band group Nongar.

Meanwhile, multiple students said Partha was active in support of the July Uprising last year. His Facebook profile also contains posts and pictures supporting the uprising, which toppled the AL from power.

However, several students alleged that Partha was a Chhatra League activist, though he was not very active. He was also involved with SUST’s theatre organisation Dik Theatre.

The survivor female student filed a written complaint of rape to the SUST proctor yesterday afternoon, prompting Prof Mokhlesur to involve the police.

“Based on the complaint, we have found the incident to be true. Currently, the criminals are in police custody, and the legal process regarding the case is ongoing,” he said at the time.

SUST students have called for maximum punishment for the accused students.

According to the survivor student’s complaint and university disciplinary body sources, the female student was going to a concert in the city with her classmates Shanto and Partha on the evening of 2 May.

Before going to the concert, they took the female student to a hostel in the Surma area. At that time, they allegedly rendered the victim student unconscious and raped her.

The duo allegedly filmed videos of the crime and took nude photos of her. Later, showing those videos and photos, they allegedly blackmailed her regularly and threatened to release them online if she told anyone about the incident.