SUST student leader expelled following leak of explicit social media messages

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The Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) branch of the student organization Jatiya Chhatrashakti has removed a senior leader from his position following the emergence of leaked social media conversations containing sexually explicit and predatory remarks.

Sajid Ahmed Molla, who served as a joint convener of the organization’s SUST unit, was relieved of his duties on Friday night. The decision was issued by Jatiya Chhatrashakti’s central president, Zahid Ahsan, and general secretary, Abu Baker Majumdar, following an internal review. According to a formal notice signed by the organization’s office secretary, Mahfuzur Rahman, Molla was removed for engaging in conduct deemed contrary to the group’s core principles and objectives.

The controversy erupted after a Facebook page known as the Private University Students Alliance of Bangladesh (PUSAB) published screenshots of private Messenger conversations attributed to Molla. The content included derogatory comments directed at women, including a student from BRAC University, as well as explicit discussions involving rape. The circulation of these screenshots prompted widespread public outcry and condemnation across social media platforms.

Molla, a student of the 2021-22 academic year in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, has admitted the authenticity of the screenshots but claimed they were taken a year ago during a private conversation with his cousin. He asserted that the messages were taken out of context and denied that they represented his actual intentions or real-world behavior. He further stated that his removal from the organization is a temporary measure pending an internal investigation.

University Proctor Mokhlesur Rahman confirmed that while the administration has not received a formal complaint regarding the incident, the student has reached out to his office seeking security. Rahman stated that the university is prepared to investigate the matter thoroughly should a formal grievance be filed.