RU BCL activist attacked by 'Jamaat-Shibir men', later handed over to police, shown arrested

A member of the recently banned Bangladesh Chhatra League's Rajshahi University unit suffered head injuries in an attack by men who claimed to be activists of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatrashibir in Rajshahi on Thursday (24 October).

The victim, identified as Azizul Huq Akash, a 2022-23 academic year student of the Mass Communication and Journalism Department (MCJ) of the Rajshahi University, according to his classmates, 12 of whom were also injured in the attack.

Akash was later handed over to the police, and was arrested in a case, Mehedi Masud, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station, confirmed to The Business Standard today (25 October). 

Details regarding the case could not be known immediately.

"Last night, some Jamaat men handed over an RU BCL activist. He was later shown arrested in a case and produced before the court," said OC Mehedi.

TBS could not immediately confirm the details about the case Akash was shown arrested.

According to his classmates, Akash is a follower of RU BCL President Mustafizur Rahman Babu.

RU MJC Department Dean Professor Mozammel Hossain Bokul said, "I, along with the proctor and some other teachers of the department, went to the police station last night after hearing the incident. The OC could not provide any details as to why he was arrested or if there is any case against him."

Meanwhile, Jamaat and Shibir leaders have denied the organisations' involvement in the attack.

"I have heard that a student was attacked. But I do not know the attackers or why the student was beaten. No one from Rajshahi University Shibir unit was involved in it," said RU Chhatrashibir President Abdul Mohaimen.

"RU is not under jurisdiction. There's no question of us getting involved in matters of RU. We are not involved in it," said Rajshahi Metropolitan Chhatrashibir President Md Sifat Alam.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Jamaat' Secretary Imaz Uddin Ahmed said, "I have not heard of any such incident. I do not know who used Jamaat's name. But I would have been informed if anyone from Jamaat was involved in it."

The attack 

According to Akash's classmates, who were with him during the attack, 25 students of the same academic year were on their way to Panchagarh for a trip. They onboarded the Banglabandha Express train to that end.

"Suddenly 25-30 unknown men arrived at the spot and started asking the department name through the train's window. When we gave our department's name, they said they were looking for a BCL activist named Sunny from the department," one of the victims of the attack told TBS on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal.

The victim continued, "We said there is no one with us named Sunny but one of the attackers pointed out to one of our classmates and said that's him. When that classmate showed his student identity card, the attackers calmed down.

"Some moments later they suspected Akash to be Sunny and began to chase him, forcing him to get off the train and run. They chased him with locally made weapons and hit him hard in the head with a hockey stick, causing serious injuries. They kept beating him, despite Akash repeatedly saying that he is not Sunny."

According to the victims, when they went to rescue Akash, a clash ensued between the two groups. Akash lost his mobile phone and wallet in the attack.

"They later took Akash somewhere and asked us to go away. When we refused, they took him to Boalia Police Station. There, they claimed to be men of Jamaat-Shibir and left Akash with the police," said another of Akash's classmates.