District Correspondent, Sylhet:
Sumaiya Akter, Joint Organizer of the Sylhet District Convening Committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (BAISAA), has accused the committee’s Member Secretary, Nurul Islam, of rape threats and sexual harassment.
On Thursday, she filed a general diary (GD) at the Kotwali Model Police Station in Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
Confirming the matter, Sumaiya Akter said she initially went to file a case, but the police accepted it as a general diary. She added that she plans to file a case in court next Monday.
In her complaint, she stated that she is a joint organizer and a member of the fund cell of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Sylhet District Committee, which consists of five members.
On May 6, Sumaiya asked Salman Ahmad Khurshid, the fund cell secretary, for a detailed account of the fund’s deposits and expenditures in a WhatsApp group. Instead of providing the details, Salman, along with Fakhrul Hasan Sourav and Nurul Islam’s associates, started verbally abusing her with vulgar language.
The next day, Salman provided an inconsistent financial statement on WhatsApp. When Sumaiya expressed her dissatisfaction, Salman, Nurul, and their associates verbally abused her further, threatened her with rape, and made sexually harassing comments on WhatsApp. She mentioned that she has screenshots and evidence of these exchanges.
However, Nurul Islam, the Member Secretary of the district committee, denied the allegations, claiming they are false. He told the media, “The truth will surely come out through police investigation.”
When asked about the matter, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Sylhet Kotwali Police Station, Md. Ziaul Haque, confirmed the filing of the general diary on Friday morning and assured that actions would be taken as per regulations.
Previously, conflicts within the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (BAISAA) Sylhet District and Metropolitan Committee had escalated. On Wednesday, May 8, one faction held a press conference at the Sylhet District Press Club, declaring Nurul Islam unwelcome.
During the press conference, Akhtar Hossain, the district committee convener (who claims to have been relieved of his duties through an illegitimate notice), stated that Nurul Islam issued a fake press release stating Akhtar had been removed from the convener position. According to Akhtar, Nurul had no authority to issue such a release, making it a violation of organizational discipline and a vindictive act.
Akhtar further claimed in his written statement that 254 out of 272 committee members were unaware of this press release and rejected it. He also emphasized that any removal must come from the central committee, but no such decision was made.
Due to these unauthorized actions, Akhtar announced that Nurul Islam is declared unwelcome in Sylhet.
