Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (CVASU) has taken firm action against student misconduct, expelling nineteen students from their dorms and levying fines for physical and mental abuse, as well as ragging. On top of that, the university took the step of revoking the student status of two others.
These decisions came about during the 13th meeting of the Students Discipline Committee. The meeting, which took place on June 29 in the university's administrative building, was led by CVASU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Lutful Rahman. The names of the students who faced penalties were released to the public on July 5, according to Khalilur Rahman, Senior Deputy Director at the university’s Public Relations and Publication Office.
The university’s public relations department issued a release detailing the penalties students faced stemming from a particular incident. Mirza Mahfuz Hasan Akash, a second-year student in the Faculty of Food Science and Technology, will no longer be allowed to stay in the university hall and must pay a fine of 10,000 Bangladeshi Taka (BDT). This is because he physically and mentally assaulted a first-year student from the 2023-2024 academic session within the same faculty. Also from that faculty, Md. Jaber has been suspended for one year and must pay 5,000 BDT. Md. Rashid Shabab Shuvo, Tanzim Md. Siam Iqbal, and Md. Mehedi Hasan each received a six-month suspension and a fine of 3,000 BDT.
In a separate matter, a group of second-year students from the Faculty of Fisheries were penalized for anti-disciplinary ragging. They were found to have physically and mentally assaulted eight newly admitted students from the 2023-2024 academic session. Md. Touhidul Islam Shihab will no longer be allowed to stay in the university hall and received a fine of 10,000 BDT. Md. Sajed-ul-Islam Sifat was suspended from the hall for six months and fined 5,000 BDT, and Md. Shahedul Islam also received a six-month suspension from the hall and a 3,000 BDT fine.
Ten other second-year students from the Faculty of Fisheries were connected to the same ragging incident. Sifat Ullah Jilan, Md. Mostakim Hossain Riyad, Asif Al Hasan, Md. Ilias Al Jaber, Taidul Islam Topu, Md. Abdullah Abu Sayed, Najmus Sadat Touhid, Abul Hasan Fahad, Md. Shahrukh Khan, and Md. Belal Hossain have all been suspended from the university hall for six months and given a warning. Additionally, Md. Riyajul Jannat Wasi, another second-year student from the Faculty of Fisheries, is now banned from entering the university hall for life.
Lastly, the university revoked the student status of two MS students. Abhishek Nandi was in the Applied Chemistry and Chemical Technology department, and Md. Ashikul Islam Rana was in the Animal Science and Nutrition department. This decision was made during the 11th meeting of the Students Discipline Committee on March 18. It was based on findings from an investigation committee that found them guilty of physically assaulting a student in room 418 of the Bir Muktijoddha Abdullah Al Noman Hall on August 1, 2023, as well as attacking and injuring another student in the TV room on November 19, 2023.
Both students did not respond to requests to explain their actions. The committee also determined that they will not be allowed to continue their higher education at CVASU. The university's firm stance sends a clear message that such behavior will not be tolerated.
