BCL blockade halts classes, exams at CU

A faction of Bangladesh Chhatra League's (BCL) Chittagong University unit enforced a blockade on the campus on Monday in protest of "depriving of posts in the full committee of the unit".

They demanded that an extended committee be announced by including leaders who were deprived.

A group of BCL leaders and activists started protesting around 7am and locked the main gate of the university, halting classes and exams of the university.

They also locked the closed the transport office of the university at around 5am which is why teachers' buses could not leave the campus for Chattogram in the morning, confirmed Chittagong University transport office Assistant Registrar Mohammad Nurul Absar.

Also, the shuttle trains were also blocked, confirming which Sholoshahar Station Master Fakhrul Parvez said, "The BCL workers of the university blocked the 7:30am shuttle train going to the university after it arrived at Sholoshahar. They also stopped the 8am train after reaching Jhautla station. Since then, the shuttle trains on the university route have been halted."

Rakibul Hasan Dinar, leader of RS group and vice-president of Chhatra League, said, "Those who have been deprived of their posts are laying siege for an indefinite period. We have put forward a three-point demand. We will not withdraw from the movement if the demands are not met. 

"Since a long time we have been demanding through systematic peaceful movement. In view of the demand, the general secretary of the branch Chhatra League said that the committee will be expanded. But now he has published a press release announcing hall and faculty committee. So we were forced to go on strike," he added.

Their demands are inclusion in the committee by evaluating the retired and hardworking workers, re-evaluation of the positions according to the merit of the leaders placed in the committee, organisational action against the married, employed and long-term inactive people who got posts in the committee.

Police have been deployed on the campus to avoid any untoward situation, said Mohiuddin Suman, in-charge of the university police outpost.

Shahidul Islam, assistant proctor of the university, said, "A section of the BCL has been protesting since dawn without any prior announcement. Their demand is toward the organisation, what can the university do here? We cannot fulfill the demands of their committee. For this they should contact Central Chhatra League."

After three years, the full committee of the CU unit of BCL was announced on 31 July.

Following that on 1 August, BCL activists, who didn't get any posts in the new committee, enforced a blockade programme halting classes and exams of the university following the announcement of the full committee of the unit.

The CU shuttle train service also came to a halt due to the alleged abduction of three staffers, including the loco master. Railway authorities refused to operate shuttle trains, citing safety concerns.