Torture cell culture

More than 100 rooms in dormitories of public universities across the country were reportedly used as torture cells until recently. Ordinary students were abused by powerful student leaders. At least 30 students were tortured in dorms at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in the past five years, according to a Bangla daily. As many as 166 complaints of torture were lodged with the authorities and some 30 left their rooms in dorms fearing punishment during the period. All these happened before the killing of Abrar Fahad on the BUET campus on October 7 that led to massive student protest.

It is hard to understand how such torture cell worked on the campus. While we want an end to partisan politics on the campus, we think students should be allowed to exercise freedom of expression and thinking.

MA Islam

Dhanmondi, Dhaka