Bangladesh Chhatra League activists attack Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday, leaving at least 15 injured. — New Age photo

At least 15 leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were injured in an attack by Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders and activists on the Dhaka University campus on Tuesday afternoon when a delegation of newly elected JCD leaders was going to attend a pre-scheduled meeting with the DU vice-chancellor.

Pro-ruling party students swooped on the JCD leaders with iron rods, cricket stumps and sticks in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall, victims alleged.

Meanwhile, the JCD central committee announced a student protest rally in front of the Naya Paltan central office of its parent political organisation, the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, on September 29 in protest against the attack.

The JCD leaders demanded that the VC and the proctor of the university should resign for failing to ensure security for the JCD leaders.

The injured include JCD DU unit president Khorshed Alam Shohel, general secretary Ariful Islam, joint  secretaries Abdul Jalil, Masum Billah, Farhan Arifur Rahman, Nasir Uddin Shaon, Raju Ahmed, Shupriya Das Shanto, Najmus Shakib, assistant secretary Munshi Shohag, publicity secretary Imam Al Naser Mishuk, international affairs secretary Jashim Khan.

Senior vice-president of the JCD Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit Saif Khan, joint secretary Akib Javed Rafi and Jasimuddin hall JCD activist Josef Al Jubayer were also injured.

Six wounded JCD leaders were rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital with injuries in the head, face or chest, said DMCH police outpost in-charge Bachchu Mia.

The newly elected JCD leaders were scheduled to meet DU VC Md Akhtaruzzaman on Tuesday afternoon after the formation of the fresh JCD DU unit committee.

To prevent the JCD DU leadership from entering the university campus, BCL leaders and activists had occupied different entry points to the campus since morning, said university students.

At about 4:30pm, when the JCD delegation of some 30 leaders entered the university campus through the Nilkhet entry point, BCL leaders and activists attacked it chanting the ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall, just a few metres from the Nilkhet entry point, said JCD DU unit’s new president Khorshed Alam Sohel.

He alleged that BCL AF Rahman Hall unit president Riazul Islam and general secretary Munem Shahriar Moon led the attack.

Several hundred BCL leaders and activists had also been standing guard in front of the VC bungalow since morning.

‘The BCL leaders and activists, armed with iron rods and cricket stumps, swooped on us. They mercilessly beat all of us there. More than 15 of our leaders and activists were injured. Five of them are in a serious condition,’ said Khorshed.

Sir AF Rahman hall BCL activists Mehdi Hasan, Leeon, Ali Ahsan Rifat, Sami, Shoikat, Shawkat, Shanto, Alif, Obaidul, Asif Bayezid and many others were spotted attacking the JCD group.

Video footage showed that several hundred BCL leaders and activists were chasing the JCD leaders and activists out of the campus, using rods and sticks on their heads, faces and chests.  

Refuting the allegation of carrying out the attack, BCL AF Rahman Hall unit president Riazul Islam told reporters, ‘They (JCD) were beating one of our activists. Then general students resist them.’

BCL president Sanjit Chandra Das said that they did not attack the Chhatra Dal leaders, rather the incident was a consequence of a factional clash within JCD.

Later, in the evening, JCD central president Rownakul Islam Srabon, during a news media briefing, demanded resignation of the university’s vice-chancellor and proctor as they failed to provide security for the ‘invited’ JCD leaders.

He further said that DU VC Akhtaruzzaman was behind the attack.

BNP’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, too, alleged that the VC’s invitation for the JCD leaders to the meeting was a trap to facilitate BCL members to carry out the attack.

Contacted, VC Akhtaruzzaman, without giving a reply to a question on the attack, said, ‘We do not think of students as guests. We are their guardians. All student organisations are equal to us. We want to develop values among the student organisations, beside encouraging them to perform their studies. We also teach the university students to develop good relations with everyone.’

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ramna Zone assistant commissioner Bayezidur Rahman said that they had received no complaint from any group over the clash.

Police action was not required and none was detained over the incident, the police officer further said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Chhatra Federation in a statement condemned the BCL attack on the JCD leaders and demanded that the attackers be identified and justice be ensured over the attack.