6 DU students injured in BCL attack

At least six students of Dhaka Universitys Law Department were injured in attacks allegedly carried out by leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) at a seminar on Productive Ramadan in a mosque on the campus on Wednesday claiming them as Chhatra Shibir activists.

The incident took place in the Bangabandhu Tower area, a residential building for DU employees.

The injured are Shahinur Alam Rasel, Rafid Hasan Safwan, Rezwan Ahmed Rifat, Sakib Azad Turzo, Fahim Dastagir Abir of the 48th batch and Muhaimin Islam of the 50th batch.

Shahin was severely injured.

The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and given treatment.

In this regard, the victims on Thursday submitted an application to file a case with Shahbagh Police Station against Md Touhidul Islam Sujon, General Secretary of Shahbagh thana unit of BCL and 20 to 30 other unidentified attackers.

The incident drew strong protests against outsiders entering the campus to attack students in broad daylight.
Facebook groups questioned the security of students on the campus.

The victims accused BCL Shahbagh Thana unit General Secretary Md Touhidul Islam, known as Sujon, of mounting the attack along with 20 to 30 of his followers.

The attackers allegedly snatched three mobile phones and wallets of the victims.

"Common students of the Law Faculty were attending a scheduled seminar on the significance of Ramadan at the Bangabandhu Tower Mosque after Zuhr prayer. When the seminar began, Bangabandhu Tower Employees Welfare Association President Sirazul Islam accompanied by Touhid entered the mosque and demanded to end the seminar saying its the instruction of the Vice Chancellor and the Proctor," said a victim.

The victim claimed, "When we were leaving the mosque following the instruction and heading towards the Law Faculty, 20 to 30 others came on bikes near the gate of the Tower, joined Touhid and suddenly beat us up mercilessly colouring us as Shibir activists."

However, the Vice Chancellor and the Proctor said that they issued no such instruction.

But, Bangabandhu Tower Employees Welfare Association President Siraz and General Secretary Md Nasir Uddin claimed that they were called by the Proctor at his office on Wednesday morning and instructed to stop the seminar.

The victim students alleged the BCL DU unit General Secretary Tanbir Hasan Shaikat was behind the incident as he described the seminar organisers as Chhatra Shibir activists.

Speaking to reporters Shaikat himself justified the attack, said the victims.  

On his Facebook wall, Shaikat in his post claimed that hosting seminar on Ramadan was a part of Shibirs agenda.

Author, columnist and political commentator Prof Asif Nazrul of DU Law Department denounced and expressed surprise over BCL leaders attempt to legitimise the attack claiming the victims as Shibir activists.

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Bangladesh Students Rights Council, Islami Chhatra Andolon, Islami Chhatra Shibir and Bangladesh Students Federation protested against the attack.

Asked, BCL leader Touhid denied that he had led the attack.

However, at least four CCTV footage of the Bangabandhu Tower area shows Touhid led the attack.

An analysis of the call list of Bangabandhu Tower Employees Association President Siraz shows that he maintained uninterrupted communication with Touhid from Wednesday night.

But Siraz claimed he did not realise that Touhid intended to carry out such attacks.

Law Faculty students formed a human chain at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus Wednesday evening in protest against the attack and demanded exemplary punishment of the perpetrators.

Again on Thursday noon, they formed a human chain at the Law Faculty premises and handed over two memorandums to Vice Chancellor Prof ASM Maksud Kamal and Proctor Prof M Maksudur Rahman demanding legal action against the offenders.

Prof Kamal told the Daily Observer that action would be taken against the perpetrators.

"Regardless of political identity, our first duty is to make the campus education friendly and ensure our students security," Prof Kamal added.