At least 40 students were injured as Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists attacked on the agitating students of Dhaka University who besieged the university vice chancellor at his office for several hours to press home their four-point demand.
Around 12 protests were severely hurt whose were admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Besides, around eight reporters and cameraman also inured among them one injured seriously who was admitted to DMCH.
Among injured students, some were identified as Bangladesh Chhatra Union General Secretary Liton Nondi, DU unit Chhatra Federation President Umme Habiba Benojir, Movement Convener Masud Al Mahdi, Somajtantrik Chhatra Federation leader Progoti Bormon, Eva Mojumder, student Rajib Kumar Das, Tajwar, Johrlal Roy, Rayhan, Rasel, Jafrul Nadim, Fahad, Sadik. They were taken to DMCH for treatment.
The injured journalists identified as DU Journalists Association Vice President, also Independent campus reporter Mir Arshadul Hoque, Treasurer, also The Daily Observer campus reporter Abdul Karim and Aronno Arif of the New Age, among others. Arshad among them was admitted at DMCH.
Meanwhile, some leaders and activists of BCL also got injured during scuffle between protestors and BCL, said SM Jakir Hossain.
About 20-25 activists of the Bangladesh Chhatra League led by General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain had stepped in to rescue DU VC who was confined about four hours by protestors under the banner of ‘Students against Repression’.
As per pre schedule, protesters brought out a procession around 11:30am on Tuesday which paraded important streets of the University and marched towards to Vice Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman’s Office but they barred as authority locked the entrance main gate of office.
Later, they broke the collapsible gate firstly and took posited in front of another gate as they also obstructed by locked gate. After trying sometimes they broke the lock of the gate and entered VC office front.
But they again cramped as administration locked VC office nearest gate but they again broke the gate and took positioned on the corridor of VC office. Here they chanted slogan demanding withdrawal of false case sued against 50 unnamed vandalizers, resignation of failure proctor and exemplary punishment to the BCL men who assault demonstrators.
After demonstrating here about three hours they circled VC prof Akhtaruzzaman when VC was going to a meeting of Board of Advance Studies through back outdoor of his office.
Surrounding him Masud Al Mahdi placed demand and said VC have to assure us clearly about our demands otherwise he won’t be gone out. BCL leaders and activists rescued him after being circled about an hour.
Here VC said,
During VC’s rescued allegedly punched VC by protestors and Jakir Hossain also got minor injured.
During confining DU VC Akhtaruzzaman told to the students that, “As per university ordinance 1973 all kinds of perpetrators must be brought to book.”
“Through proper investigation into the matter legal step would be taken against assaulters” he added
But students told VC that at least two announcement that identified attacker AL BCL leader AL Amin Rahman expelled and failure proctor’s resignation.
After rescuing VC, around 800 BCL’s leaders and activists took positioned at every entrance of register building while some gates were locked.
While they each were demonstrating inside and outside of gate the then BCL activists led by Jagannath hall BCL as their leader Jakir got injured attacked on protesters with local arms like rote, stick etc.
Following BCL chased protestors tried to go out through another exits of the building but where also BCL activists barred them as they took positioned at each entrance.
Later, BCL activists swooped on demonstrators in several times where whose journalists took pictures of attacking they also come under attack and snapped mobile phone and cameras.
Even those female protestors took positioned inside rooms of top floor for escaping from attack they also came under attack as female leaders took away from rooms and assaulted them.
In the meantime while Liton Nondi came out with protestors from inside registers building then BCL activists attacked him severely. However senior BCL leader rescued him from attacking and rushed him to DMCH.
During several times attacks on protestors BCL leaders including president Sohag and GS Jakir told their activists not to attack them.
Later, the situation came under control but the campus was very fierce as BCL leaders and activists positioned in a scattered manner.
Meanwhile, in a press briefing at Madhur canteen BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag said, “We want punishment of those who attacked Vice Chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman”.
SM Jakir Hossain said, “General students went here to rescue VC sir from confining while leftist student leaders attacked general students we tried to control the situation”.
He also claimed that some activists of BCL received injuries during clash.
DU unit Chhatra Union president Tuhn Kanti Das claimed that about 35-40 students injured following attack on them by BCL leaders and activists. Among them severely injured is being admitted at DMCH.
On the other hand, Pragotishil Chhatra Jote brought out procession protesting attack on their fellow on the campus in the evening. Where they demanded punishment to the attackers.
The protesters’ alliance came into being after female students were allegedly assaulted by Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at a rally that urged the DU to scrap its affiliation with seven Dhaka-based colleges on Jan 15.
They laid siege to the proctor’s office a day later demanding removal of the accused activists of Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League.
They also demanded that the authorities open an inquiry into the “attack” and file a report within two days.
The DU authorities sued 50 unidentified students on Jan 18 accusing them of vandalising the proctor’s office. Students took out a procession in protest the same night.
A probe committee was formed and three students were summoned to testify but none of them showed up, the DU authorities said.
Rokeya Hall Provost Zinat Huda is heading the three-member panel. Three students, Abu Raihan Khan, Umme Habiba Benazir and Ashiq were supposed to testify at 11am Tuesday, said Abu Hossain Md Ahsan, member secretary of the committee.
“They were informed by phone and served letters. But they did not come.”
Umme Habiba Benazir, president of Dhaka University Students Federation, said: “We are not witnesses. We asked them to involve us as student representatives in the committee but they did not do so adding that we have shunned the probe committee.”
SU
