Dhaka: Two leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) have been suspended for four semesters following their involvement in the assault of a student who criticized the quality of food at a university dormitory.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the decision was reached during an emergency online syndicate meeting held on Tuesday night, as confirmed by Syndicate member Prof Jahir Bin Alam. The students suspended are Hasibur Rahman, a Political Studies Department student and communication secretary of the SUST unit of JCD, and Tarek Rahman, a Statistics Department student and assistant office secretary of the unit. Both individuals are residents of Shah Paran Hall.

The university has further restricted these students from entering or staying on the campus for the next two years. Prior to this, on Sunday, the JCD had removed the two leaders from their organizational roles for violating party discipline.

Prof Jahir Bin Alam stated that the syndicate’s decision was based on recommendations from the university’s investigation and disciplinary committees. The incident occurred on the night of July 18, when Khairul Khandakar, a Sociology Department student from the 2023-24 session and a resident of Shah Paran Hall, was assaulted in front of the main gate of the university. The assault followed his complaints about the dormitory food quality through the hall’s WhatsApp group. Subsequently, Khairul Khandakar was admitted to a hospital in Sylhet city for medical treatment.