Habeeba Tarek Zahraan, known as "the dress girl" from Tanta University in Egypt, revealed new details about her crisis with the university, including threats of failing and the actual outcome of failing in two subjects. In a special interview with "Al Arabiya.net," the second-year student in the Faculty of Arts at Tanta University stated that she received threats before the announcement of results indicating that she would fail in two subjects. This threat came through a private message from a fake Facebook account which blackmailed her to drop the complaints before the results were announced. She added that she ignored the message but was shocked when the official results revealed that she indeed failed in two subjects, necessitating a repetition of the academic year. Despite this, she clarified that she does not accuse the university of manipulating her grades or documents.
The student also disclosed that she faced bullying since the incident regarding the dress came to light, along with intense pressure to retract her statements and ignore her rights. She was even subjected to humiliation, with one individual pulling her hair while she was walking down the stairs at the university. She indicated that investigations are ongoing and she will not relinquish her rights, especially since the situation resulted in her failing.
Additionally, she decided to withdraw her papers from the college and will not return to study there, announcing her intention to apply to a private university in Alexandria. She highlighted her significant positions at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and large private companies despite her young age, in addition to her studies.
The young Egyptian also addressed rumors that the surveillance footage does not match her statements, stating that the university did not locate any camera in the corridor where the dress incident occurred. She mentioned that she has closed the chapter on her studies at Tanta University but will continue to advocate for her rights.
The story of the dress girl has sparked debate in Egypt, as Habeeba Tarek reported that she faced bullying from exam supervisors at the end of the academic year for wearing a dress instead of "trousers." She recounted that upon entering the examination room and after completing her test, when she went to collect her ID, a supervisor asked her, "Did you forget to wear your trousers or what?" She noted that the supervisors continued to mock her. Following the incident, the president of Tanta University, Dr. Mahmoud Zaki, referred the case to the public prosecutor after it circulated on social media.
