Nazrul University Suspends Press Forum Over Student Harassment and Misinformation Allegations

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Authorities at Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University in Trishal have suspended all operations of the university’s Journalists’ Forum following allegations that the group disseminated misinformation and incited a campus environment that led to the harassment of a female student. The decision, which includes the formation of a high-level committee to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident, follows intense protests staged by students throughout the day on Sunday.

Tensions escalated on Sunday morning when students locked the administrative building, effectively preventing the Vice-Chancellor and other senior officials from entering their offices. The demonstration lasted for five hours, with students demanding the immediate suspension of the Journalists’ Forum and strict disciplinary action against all individuals involved in the harassment. The standoff concluded at 4 p.m. only after the administration issued an official notice confirming the suspension of the organization.

The controversy stems from an incident on July 11, when six individuals from outside the campus were confronted by students for recording videos of female students during preparations for the Fourth International Theatre Festival. Although those involved initially apologized, a member of the Journalists’ Forum recorded the encounter and posted the footage online. The video, which included images of a student from the Department of Theatre and Performance Studies, triggered a wave of cyberbullying that subjected the student to public humiliation.

In an emergency notification signed by Acting Registrar Khandaker Nazmul Hassan, the university administration stated that the Journalists’ Forum was largely responsible for the escalation of the situation. The administration noted that the forum failed to remove the inflammatory content despite explicit instructions to do so. The university cited the need to curb cyberbullying and ensure the security and academic integrity of the campus as the primary reasons for halting the organization’s activities.

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Students have expressed deep frustration over the group’s conduct, accusing the forum of manipulating footage to gain online traction, which ultimately created friction between the student body and the local community.

In response to the suspension, the Journalists’ Forum issued a statement through its official social media page. Saifullah Islam, the group’s office and publicity secretary, maintained that the video was published to highlight the reality of the incident and claimed there was no intent to harass the student or insult the local community. Meanwhile, the forum’s president, Shakil Babu, stated that the organization is currently reviewing the administrative order and will provide a formal response after further internal discussions.