The DU students who mug people after sunset

It was 11:00pm in Dhaka.

A married couple left their Nazimuddin Road residence to visit their uncle's home in Dhaka University area. When they arrived at DU's Shaheed Minar premises, a group of 10 to 12 men, led by DU BCL activists, intercepted them, mercilessly beat them, stole Tk 22,000 and their ATM card, and left.

The victims' uncle Md Abdul Motaleb, Principal Administrative Officer of Masterda Surja Sen Hall of DU, filed a case accusing Fahim Tajwar Joy and Sajid Ahmed and 12 unidentified youths in connection with the mugging incident.

According to the case statement, Fahim studies in the history department (session 2021-2022), and Sajid in the information science and library management department of DU.

Most of these criminals are DU students. Even their university mates are becoming their victims.

— Senior Officer , Shahbagh Police Station

They both are residential students of Masterda Surja Sen Hall and are activists of BCL, hall sources confirmed.

"My niece and her husband were mugged, assaulted, and harassed on the night of February 4. The attackers stole Tk 22,000 and an ATM card. When my son and I rushed to the spot to save them, the attackers even beat us up," the statement reads.

Motaleb told The Daily Star, "I work for DU students from morning to night. But yet they didn't hesitate for a second to beat me. Since when did the students become such cold-blooded criminals?"

This isn't an isolated incident. Many such attacks were reported to Shahbagh Police Station and in the media in the last one month alone.

According to victims and DU students, it all starts with these words -- "Bhai ki campus er? [Are you from the campus?]".

If  the person says no, all hell breaks loose. The questioners harass,  attack and snatch all belongings from the victim, and drive them away  from Dhaka University. Sometimes, even DU students are not spared.

Almost every DU student these correspondents talked to said they know someone who has been assaulted or mugged on the campus, while many said they were victims themselves.

I work for DU students from morning to night. But yet they didn't hesitate for a second to beat me. Since when did the students become such cold-blooded criminals?

— Md Abdul Motaleb Principal administrative officer of DU's Masterda Surja Sen Hal

Contacted, a senior officer of Shahbagh Police Station, seeking anonymity, said, "Mugging incidents on DU campus have increased significantly in the past few months. The attackers are becoming more desperate."

"Most of these criminals are DU students. Even their university mates are becoming their victims," he added.

Meanwhile last Sunday, police arrested three DU students for beating and stealing Tk 15,000 from a covered-van driver near Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) area.

A Dhaka court later sent them to jail on February 6. A patrol team of Shahbagh Police Station arrested Nabid Shakil, a student of theatre and performance studies; Rahat Rahman, 21, of management department, and Sadik Ahammed of social welfare and research department, when the driver was screaming for help.

The day these three were sent to jail, DU authorities suspended two more BCL leaders. The reason is easy to guess at this point. Tanzir Arafath Tushar and Rahul Ray were suspended after allegations of mugging surfaced against them.

Tushar, the joint secretary of Kabi Jasimuddin Hall BCL, was initially apprehended by police, but was released later. Rahul was a member of the last BCL central committee.

They have been accused of assaulting a woman and her husband at Suhrawardy Udyan. A case was filed against the two and five to six unidentified youths in connection with the event.

According to the case statement, the perpetrators dragged the victims off the bike they were on, beat them, harassed the woman, and fled after snatching gold ornaments.

Besides, supporters of Imdadul Hasan Shohagh, general secretary of Amar Ekushey Hall Chhatra League, allegedly vandalised a shop at Bangabazar after its owner refused to pay extortion money on January 30.

The shop owner also gave these correspondents an audio clip of what he said was the conversation between him and Imdadul. In it Imdadul was heard threatening the shopkeeper. His shop got vandalised the following day.

Unfortunately, these incidents are just the tip of the iceberg. The perpetrators usually choose their targets carefully. They attack couples or people using substances, knowing very well that these people are less likely to report the crimes committed against them due to social stigma, said students and witnesses.

According to DU students, victims and shopkeepers, an organised gang is active at Suhrawardy Udyan, Central Shaheed Minar, Doyel Chattar, VC Chattar, Kala Bhaban, Fuller Road and Polashi areas.

They introduce themselves as DU students and Chhatra League leaders. Although the issue is perennial, the gang has become more reckless than ever lately because of the culture of impunity.

DARK STREETS, WITHOUT CCTV COVERAGE

Zarin Tasnim, a private-university student, attended the Lit Fest last month at the Bangla Academy premises.

"When I was returning home alone at 8:00pm, the entire stretch of the road, from the TSC gate of the Udyan to Shahbagh intersection, was pitch black. There was a political rally going on at TSC at the same time."

"The atmosphere was eerie. I just passed the road as soon as I could," she told this reporter.

The absence or lack of streetlights has been a huge concern in Dhaka University area.

Contacted, DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani said," I informed the state and engineering office to set up enough lighting in the DU area. I don't know why the work hasn't been done yet."

Besides, the demand for installing CCTV cameras at points where crime is higher has been gaining momentum lately.

Prof Asif Hossain Khan of DU's computer science department said, "We have approved the work order to set up 68 CCTV cameras on the campus. We expect that we will set them up within one month."

BCL TAKES ACTION, FINALLY

Generally, when BCL activists make headlines for criminal conduct, the leaders say something along the lines of "the organisation won't take responsibility for the individual", according to students.

But rarely does BCL take any organisational steps against the accused, which questions the organisation's stance against organised crime, they added.

But the recently formed BCL central committee has made an exception and went out of their way to suspend 21 of their activists around the country yesterday, based on various allegations.

Of them, 15 are from Dhaka University. They are: Najmul Hasan, Tanzir Arafath Tushar, Asadullah Asad, Mahidur Rahman Badhon, Riaz Ahmed Polok, Zihadul Islam, Al Kawsar, Shaon Chowdhury, Fahim Tajwar Joy, Sazid Ahmed, Rahul Ray, Md Tareq, Fazle Navid Sakil, Rahat Rahman, and Sadik Ahamad,

Simultaneously, the BCL DU unit relieved Imdadul Hasan Shohagh of his position as general secretary of the Amar Ekushey Hall Chhatra League.

The BCL central committee also expelled Asit Paul of Jahangirnagar University, Maruf Islam of Chittagong University, Shah Alam Ratul and Nur Mohammad Nabil, Kamran Siddik Rashed of Ruet, and Rakibul Islam Rakib of Government Shaheed Suhrawardi College yesterday.

"No offenders will get any space in BCL. We're serious about the matter," BCL General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan told The Daily Star.