Clash at DU hall leaves six injured, including VP and GS

At least six people, including the vice-president and general secretary of the Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall students’ union at Dhaka University, were injured in a clash early Monday as Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists allegedly moved to rescue the hall provost from his office.

Students had been surrounding the provost’s office since Sunday evening, demanding his resignation over allegations that a student was confined and assaulted inside his office.

The confrontation occurred around 2:45am when Chhatra Dal activists went to take the provost out of the office. Witnesses said the two sides engaged in pushing and scuffling, after which Chhatra Dal activists allegedly attacked students.

Hall union VP Abu Naim and GS Imamul Hasan were among those injured. Students said Imamul Hasan was seriously injured. The injured were later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by ambulance.

DU Pro-Vice-Chancellors Prof Al Mojaddeddi Alfasani and Prof Abdus Salam, acting proctor Prof Israfil Prang and several assistant proctors had gone to the provost’s office to defuse the situation. The students also reportedly kept the officials inside the office for some time.

The two pro-VCs later left the area. The acting proctor remained near the gate with the hall union VP, GS and other students.

Witnesses said a group of Chhatra Dal activists later approached the office in a procession chanting anti-Shibir slogans. Following an exchange of words, the activists allegedly attacked the students present there.

During the clash, the acting proctor was reportedly pushed and fell against a pillar. A group of Chhatra Dal activists then escorted him away, witnesses said.

After the incident, GS Imamul Hasan was seen lying on the floor, while Abu Naim’s vest and panjabi were torn. The provost was subsequently taken out of the office by Chhatra Dal activists, after which the situation returned to normal.

Journalists present at the scene alleged that Chhatra Dal activists obstructed them from recording the incident. DU Chhatra Dal office secretary Mallik Wasi Tami denied the allegation, saying no journalist had been prevented from filming.

He said activists from other halls had arrived at the scene and that Chhatra Dal members went there after videos of the hall VP and GS circulated online.

Asked about Chhatra Dal’s role in taking the provost out, Tami said the organisation’s central leaders had not entered the office and that hall-level activists had gone there.

Meanwhile, the student who allegedly suffered the assault, Ibrahim, said students had initially demanded access to CCTV footage of the incident. He alleged that the footage was not shown despite repeated requests from 7pm until after 2am.

Ibrahim alleged that the issue was eventually turned into a confrontation between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir activists, while his demand for justice remained unresolved.

The incident has heightened tensions on the Dhaka University campus.

SKS