6 injured in DU clash

Chatradal allegedly attacked students protesting at University of Dhaka’s (DU) Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall on Monday to rescue the confined provost from his office.

The incident, which occurred around 3 am, left at least six people injured, including the Hall Union VP Abu Nayeem and GS Imamul Hasan. Authorities then sent the injured to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment.

Students had been confining the provost for around eight hours, demanding his resignation and the release of CCTV footage following allegations that a classmate was tortured inside the provost’s room.

Student organizations such as Islami Chhatrashibir and Chatra Shakti, along with leaders from various hall unions, joined the protest.

The situation began to escalate at 11 pm on Sunday when University Proctor Israfil Pk arrived at the office. While students demanded to view the CCTV footage in the presence of journalists, Israfil insisted on showing it only to a few people without media presence.

This disagreement caused tensions to rise, and by 1:30 am, Pro-VC (Administration) Almujaddade Alfasane and Pro-VC (Education) Abdus Salam arrived, only to be confined by the students as well.

Eventually, a compromise was reached where the victim student, VP Abu Nayeem, and the two Pro-VCs would view the footage, a decision the students accepted.

However, witnesses reported that a group of Chatradal leaders, led by Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall Convenor Abid Hasnat and Shahidullah Hall Member Secretary Junaid Abrar, began creating a commotion, causing the situation to deteriorate again. The Pro-VCs managed to leave about an hour later.

Around 2:45 am, Chatradal members arrived at the office chanting slogans and launched an attack on the students. The clash injured several individuals, including Amar Ekushey Hall AGS Obaidur Rahman Hasib, Mujib Hall GS Ahmed Al Sabah, Hall Union Reading Room Secretary Tarek Bhuiyan, and a residential student named Tanveer.

Witnesses and victims reported that several Chatradal members involved in the violence, including Kamruzzaman Anik, Ashikur Rahman, Sifat Khan, Tanveer Hossain, Atiq Musaddiq Jihad, Rabiul Islam Nahid, Nur Mohammad, and Tanjil.

Amidst the panic, Chatradal members entered the provost’s office and escorted him out under guard, a move reportedly led by DU Chatradal Organizing Secretary Nur Alam Bhuiyan Emon. Journalists present at the scene alleged that Chatradal activists prevented them from filming the event.

However, Mallik Wasi Tami, the office secretary of DU Chatradal, denied these allegations, claiming, “No obstacle was created for the media personnel to record video.”

He asserted that Shibir members from various halls had gathered at the site. When asked about the extraction of the provost, Tami said the central leaders did not enter, but hall union Chatradal members were present.

The victim student, Ibrahim, expressed his frustration, saying the situation devolved into a Chatradal-Shibir conflict, which has deprived him of justice.   

He said, “Chatradal has taken a position against me. Several members of the committee, led by FH Hall Chatradal Convenor Abid Hasnat, escorted the accused provost out under guard. I wanted justice, I wanted to see the CCTV footage. Yet, I am still not getting justice.”

While Abid Hasnat and Junaid Abrar could not be reached for comment, students alleged that Abrar has led similar attacks in the past.

Israfil confirmed that VC ABM Obaidul Islam has formed a five-member investigation committee, headed by the proctor himself, to look into the incident and take action.