BCL activist shot dead in classroom

A factional clash of Chhatra League has claimed yet another life.

BCL activist Khaled Ahmed Litu was shot dead in a classroom of Beanibazar Government College in Sylhet yesterday, around an hour after two factions of the student front clashed on the campus over establishing supremacy.

The 23-year-old was a supporter of Pavel Mahmud, hospitality affairs secretary of Sylhet district BCL, said the unit's General Secretary Rayhan Chowdhury.

Meanwhile, two BCL factions of Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST) fought pitched battles on campus for around five hours since 8:00am yesterday over control of Bangabandhu Residential Hall. The rowdy BCL men vandalised two rooms of the dormitory.

In Barisal, Banaripara BCL President Sumon Molla was sent to jail yesterday for allegedly raping a housewife, with her husband held hostage by the student leader's accomplices.

In another incident, Chhatra League activist Mahamudul Hasan Rupak, a third-year student of English at Chittagong University, was arrested on Sunday night from the university's Gate-1 area in a robbery case.

BLOODSHED CONTINUES

Police quoting witnesses said Khaled, an outsider in the college campus, along with some other activists of the pro-Awami League student front was sitting in the classroom around 12:30pm when some unidentified youths stormed in and shot him.

Hearing a gunshot, policemen went to the room and found Khaled dead, said Additional Superintendent of Sylhet police Sugyan Chakma.

According to law enforcers, the victim was from Panditpara of Beanibazar. He used to run a mobile phone shop in the upazila town.

Police picked up BCL activists Emdad, Fahad and Kamran in the classroom for interrogation.

The shooting occurred around an hour after Chhatra League factions, led by Pavel Mahmud and Abul Kashem Pallab, former convener of Beanibazar upazila Jubo League, clashed on the campus, said witnesses.

Contacted, Kashem said the clash ensued following an altercation between two junior students of the college.

He refuted the allegation that his supporters were involved in the clash.

Sylhet BCL leader Rayhan said no committee of the student front was formed in Beanibazar in last 12 years.

BCL sources said over 12 factions of the orgainistaion were causing problems in the area. Among them, two or three are influential groups.

Police sent Khaled's body to Sylhet MAG Medical College for an autopsy.

No case was filed in this connection till filing of the report last night.

The authorities of Beanibazar Government College yesterday shut the institution till July 22. They also formed a three-member committee to probe the incident.

INFIGHTING IN PABNA

Two rival BCL factions of Pabna University of Science and Technology clashed on the campus over control of Bangabandhu Residential Hall.

Supporters of the two factions, led by PUST BCL President Shanto and Vice President Yasir Arafat, engaged in chase and counter-chase. Two rooms of the dormitory were also vandalised during the clash.

Campus sources said the clash ensued over beating of Shanto's supporter Khalid Hossain, a student of statistics, by some supporters of Arafat on Sunday night.

Academic activities were hampered due to the trouble, said Proctor Awal Kabir Joy.

Later, BCL leaders of the two factions blamed each other for the clash.

Meanwhile, the BCL central unit yesterday suspended five of its PUST leaders from the organisation for violating organisational discipline, said a press release.

The five are vice presidents Yasir Arafat, Mahmud Chowdhury Asif and Abdullah Al Maruf; Joint General Secretary Mahmud Kamal Tuhin and Organising Secretary Sirajul Islam.

BCL LEADER HELD OVER RAPE

Police on Sunday night arrested Banaripara BCL President Sumon Molla from the house of Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, joint convener of the Barisal city Awami League.

The Barisal SP sent a police team to the house after receiving a call from Sadik. The AL leader handed over Sumon to law enforcers.

Sazzad Hossain, officer-in-charge of Banaripara Police Station, said a housewife filed a case Sunday afternoon accusing the BCL leader of raping her at a home in Banaripara's Beatal village, with her husband held hostage by Sumon's accomplices at another house in the village.

The arrestee yesterday gave a confessional statement under section 164 of CrPC to Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Sihabul Islam, the OC added.

The magistrate later sent the accused to jail.

The BCL central unit in a press release yesterday said it expelled Sumon from the organisation for violating discipline.

ONE HELD IN ROBBERY CASE

BCL activist Mahamudul Hasan Rupak, a third-year student of English at Chittagong University, was arrested by Hathazari police on Sunday night from the university's Gate-1 area in a robbery case.

Truck driver Reazul had filed the case with Hathazari Police Station on April 21 over looting goods from the vehicle which was on the way to Chittagong from Khagrachhari. 

According to the case statement, criminals held the driver and his helper at gunpoint and looted the goods after taking the vehicle to the central playground of the university on April 19.  

The gang confined the two to a room of a dormitory and freed them the following day after selling most of the looted goods, it added.

Mollah Jahangir, investigation officer of the case, said around eight people were involved in the robbery. The law enforcers so far arrested three BCL activists of the university in this connection.

Our correspondents in Sylhet, Pabna, Barisal and Chittagong contributed to this report.