RU student 'abducted by ex-husband'

A female student of Rajshahi University was allegedly abducted by her former husband from the university campus yesterday morning.

Shohel Rana, of Naogaon, was waiting for the fourth-year Bangla student in front of Taposhi Rabeya Hall, where she used to reside.

When she was going to sit for her fourth-year final examination around 9:00am, he tried to talk to her, and soon the two were locked into an altercation.

Later, Shohel forced her into a microbus and went away, said witnesses.

According to the family of the student, she got married to Shohel in December last year, but they got divorced two months back.

Talking to The Daily Star, the student's father said, "I have talked to my daughter at 7:20am in the morning for the last time. Later, around 8:25am, I got a call from my daughter's friend, who informed me about her kidnapping."

"Then I informed my relatives in Rajshahi," he added.

Meanwhile, around 4:00pm, more than 300 students started a demonstration and staged a sit-in in front of the vice chancellor's residence. They gave a two-hour ultimatum to the authorities to bring her back.

One of the protestors said, “A student was picked up from an open place like the university. The authorities are responsible for this. It's their duty to protect us, but they failed.”

Amid the demonstration, Vice Chancellor Prof Abdus Sobhan went to the spot and requested the students to withdraw the protest, but they refused. Later, around 6:30pm, students suspended their demonstration for the day and announced that the protest would resume today. After the end of the programme, Bangladesh Chhatra League unit of RU also held a half-hour demonstration at the same place, demanding her safe return.

Terming the incident unwanted, Proctor Prof Lutfor Rahman said, “We are trying our best to bring her back. It's our responsibility to help her family.”

The VC told The Daily Star that the authorities had already instructed the law enforcers for her rescue.

Meanwhile, the student's father filed an abduction case against Shohel, his father, and four of his family members, said Officer-in-Charge of Motihar Police Station Mehedi Hasan. Quoting police, the proctor said Shohel's father was arrested in Naogaon.