They were suspended for torturing a first-year student of the university

The High Court on Wednesday said the one-year suspension of five students in connection with the torture of a female student at Islamic University (IU) is not lawful.

The judges also the person who had filed a petition in this regard to file to the court in writing what actions the IU authorities have taken.

Earlier, after an order of the High Court, the five students were suspended on March 6.

The university also asked them to submit within seven working days why they should not be expelled.

The IU authorities in Kushtia on Saturday suspended five female students including a leader of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, for one year for their involvement in the torture and humiliation of a first-year student of the Finance and Banking Department on the campus.

The suspended students are BCL university unit Vice-President Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora, a student of the Statistics Department, activists Tabassum Islam and Maobiya Jahan, both students of the Finance and Banking Department, Halima Khatun Urmi, of the Fine Arts Department, and Israt Jahan Mim, of  Law Department of the university.

IU Proctor Professor M Shahadat Hossain Azad said that it is the highest punishment under the law of the university. During this time the expelled students cannot participate in anything including class or exams.

Fulpori, a first-year student of the Finance and Banking Department, was tortured and humiliated by the Islamic University unit of BCL Vice-President Shanjida Chowdhury Ontora and her cohorts at Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus in Kushtia on February 12.

The incident came to light after the victim left the hall and disclosed the matter to her seniors and her family members the next day.

On February 14, the victim lodged a written complaint with the university administration, including the university proctor, student adviser and hall provost, demanding punishment of those involved in the incident.

Two probe bodies formed by the Islamic University authorities to look into the matter submitted their reports on February 26.

The Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall administration expelled the accused on February 27.

On March 5, the university authorities suspended Ontora and four of her associates from the university as well as removed Shamsul Alam, the provost of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, from his post following the order of the High Court.

The university administration also allocated a seat to the female student of her choice in the Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall following the court order.