On September 18, 2024, a group of students beat Jahangirnagar University (JU) student and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leader Shamim Ahmed to death in retaliation for his role in a July attack on protesters associated with the quota reform movement.

The group of students initially attacked Ahmed near one of the gates to campus claiming that he had led a July 15th attack on students protesting as part of the quota reform movement (see report). Reports indicate that university guards retrieved Ahmed and removed him to the office of JU Proctor AKM Rashidul Alam. There, police and the university’s proctorial team questioned Shamim, who admitted his involvement in the July 15th attack. After the students “forced” the proctor to open the office, they again beat Shamim with wooden sticks, while in the presence of university security guards and the proctor.

Subsequently, a team of police officers arrived together with JU Vice Chancellor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan. They took Ahmed into custody and transferred him to the hospital where he died.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about a lethal attack on a student by other students. Students must refrain from violence, especially on campus, and university authorities must take reasonable measures to ensure safe living conditions for students. In addition to harm to the immediate victims, violent attacks on students undermine academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1859968
https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/ex-bcl-leader-who-was-beaten-ju-students-dies-944716
https://www.newagebd.net/post/country/245635/former-bcl-leader-beaten-to-death-on-ju-campus
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/crime-justice/news/ex-bcl-leader-beaten-death-jahangirnagar-3706551