DU clash: BCL files case against 70 Chhatra Dal leaders, activists

The ruling party student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has filed a case against more than 70 leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student of BNP following Tuesday's clash between the two groups at Dhaka University (DU) premises.

BCL's Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall unit President Zahidul Islam Zahid started the case with the Shahbagh police on Friday, said OC Moudut Haldar.

JCD Dhaka University unit member secretary Amanulla Aman said, "It has already been proved by media footage that we were attacked by the Chhatra League, but ironically the case has been filed against us."

Amanulla also said, "On several occasions we have continuously tried to contact university administration to investigate and control Chhatra League heinous activities, but the varsity administration seems to be reluctant about this matter.

In the case statement, it was alleged that some 50-60 leaders and activists, including the general secretary of Chhatra Dal Saif Mahmud Jewel, attacked the leaders and activists of Chhatra League with sticks and iron rods with the intention of killing them. Eight general students of Dhaka University were seriously injured.

Earlier on Tuesday night, Dhaka University authorities lodged another case over the incident.  

300-400 unnamed individuals were accused in the case on charges of obstruction of government work, beating of a government employee, vandalism of a university vehicle and disorderly conduct on campus.

After a torch procession, BNP took out in Bijoynagar on Wednesday protesting the attack on them during the clash at DU campus, Paltan police filed another case against 30 named and 100-150 unnamed BNP men.   

Among the accused are BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Chhatra Dal president Kazi Raunkul Islam Shravan and general secretary Saif Mahmud.

The case statement says, BNP people were chanting anti-government slogans. At one point they attacked the police and threw pieces of bricks. They also attacked two or three running buses, it said.

Police have arrested 9 BNP leaders and activists in the case.

The Chhatra Dal has staged protests in districts and metropolises across the country on 26 May and has announced protest processions on 29 May 29 at upazila and thana levels.

Ordinary students in panic

On Saturday, Chhatra League took position at different areas of the Dhaka University campus to prevent the entry of Chhatra Dal leaders and workers. They were seen prepared with stumps and sticks and also staged 'showdowns' on motorbikes.

"Ordinary students are terrified in the aftermath of the Tuesday incident. The normal learning environment of the campus is being disrupted. Students are afraid to come to campus. As an ordinary student, I demand the university administration to immediately stop this anarchy and bring the culprits to justice," said Smriti Afroz Sumi, a 3rd year dance student of Dhaka University.

University Vice-Chancellor Md Akhtaruzzaman said, I have asked the proctor to take all necessary measures in case of any incident.

Proctor AKM Golam Rabbani was unreachable for comments.

Tension in national politics

Following the clashes in DU campus, clashes erupted between BCL and BNP activists in Khulna and over 50 people including police personnel were injured.

In Patuakhali clashes between parties left at least 15 injured.

Meanwhile, the BCL is also protesting against the statement of Saif Mahmud Jewel, the general secretary of Chhatra Dal, about the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The BNP has already staged protests at Dhaka Metropolitan South and Juba Dal National Press Club for the last two days in protest of the BCL's attack on Chhatra Dal in DU.

On Friday Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said that the BNP was now conspiring to dump bodies on the campus of Dhaka University (DU) to destabilise the country before the inauguration of the Padma Bridge.

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said senior BNP leaders were mainly responsible for the clashes between the two student wings over the past few days.

Ahmed Hossain, organizing secretary of the Awami League, said that some outsider Chhatra Dal goons wanted to enter the campus of Dhaka University and ruin the environment. So, the BCL has only resisted to keep the campus environment clean and normal.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "Chhatra Dal leaders and activists have taken to the field. The movement has spread across the country from Dhaka University. Leaders and activists will not return home until the fall of the government."

He also said, "Chhatra Dal leaders and activists were brutally beaten and injured by the BCL goons. They have attacked not only boys but also girls. One of the girls was admitted to the ICU."

"This is the character of Awami League. They are a terrorist group," he added.

BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has alleged that the attack on the Chhatra Dal leaders and activists was carried out at the behest of the government.

After a "derogatory comment" by Chhatra Dal general secretary Saif Mahmud about Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina BCL activists attacked Chhatra Dal members on Sunday evening at the TSC area in DU campus.

On Tuesday morning as the Chhatra Dal activists were going to a scheduled press conference at the Dhaka University Journalists' Association office, BCL activists attacked them in front of the central Shaheed Minar. Doel ChattarSquare and later a clash erupted between the two sides in front of Muhammad Shahidullah Hall.

On Thursday, clashes between the two sides in the Supreme Court area left about 50 people, including journalists, injured.

But the BNP claimed that about 100 members of the Chhatra Dal were injured on Thursday.