Dhaka, Aug 21 - The High Court has ordered all colleges and universities across Bangladesh to establish anti-ragging committees to combat ragging and enforce the Ministry of Education’s anti-ragging guidelines.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar issued the directive on Wednesday in response to a writ petition filed by Advocate Ishrat Hasan.

In 2019, Advocate Ishrat sent a legal notice to the University Grants Commission and other authorities, urging action against ragging. The notice called for the formation of anti-ragging committees and squads to monitor and address incidents of ragging within seven days. When the notice went unanswered, Ishrat filed a writ petition in the High Court, leading to the issuance of the rule.

Ragging refers to the mistreatment, humiliation, or harassment of new or junior students by their seniors, which can escalate into severe forms of abuse.

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