Chittagong College: Post-deprived BCL men block road

Leaders and activists of Chittagong Government College unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, who did not get posts in the recently-formed committee of the party, blocked a road in front of the college yesterday morning, demanding cancellation of the 25-member committee formed on Monday night.

During the blockade on College Road, BCL men blasted crude bombs and vandalised vehicles, creating panic among students, guardians and pedestrians.

Traffic movement remained halted on the busy road for over three hours, causing sufferings to people.

The BCL men also chased the post holders away from the college compound. One photojournalist sustained injuries during the chase and counter-chase.

The incident took place when examinees from other colleges came to Chittagong College for a scheduled exam under National University.

College and BCL sources said Chattogram city unit BCL approved a 25-member committee making Mahmudul Karim president and Suvash Mallik Sabuj general secretary for the next one year.

Protesting its formation, a section of BCL men gathered at the college in the morning and demonstrated, said police quoting witnesses.

Around 10:00am, they barricaded College Road by placing bamboos and setting fire to tyres, creating a tailback before the examination.

“On information, law enforcers removed the barricade around 1:00am,” said Shah Md Abdur Rauf, additional deputy commissioner (south) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police. Additional forces were deployed to ease further tension, he added.

While talking to many students and guardians, they vented their frustration over the situation.

“It is unexpected that such incident took place before an important examination. Due to the blockade, people had to suffer through extreme heat,” said Humayun Kabir, father of an examinee.

Additional police deployed at the gates of Chattogram Government College after infighting between groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League on September 18, 2018. Photo: FM Mizanur Rahman

Vehicular movement resumed around 1:20pm.

This correspondent also spoke to some agitating BCL activists.

“Outsiders and non-students got posts that triggered anger among the students,” alleged Mohammed Belal, a master's student of the college and an aspirant for a post in the committee.

“I was selected as organising secretary in the newly-formed committee. But I stepped down protesting irregularities,” he claimed.

Contacted, Zakaria Dostogir, general secretary of city unit BCL, said, “Most of the BCL men protesting against the committee are outsiders. We will soon have a meeting with all college units of BCL men to resolve the issue.”

10 INJURED IN BCL 'INFIGHTING' AT PUST

At least 10 students were injured on Monday night due to BCL “infighting” at Pabna University of Science and Technology (PUST), reports our Pabna correspondent.

Of the injured, two are being treated at Pabna Medical College Hospital.

Around 11:30pm, a group of BCL men loyal to Faridul Islam Babu, secretary of the university unit, attacked the followers of Asif Hossain, president of the unit, while they were holding a meeting at a residential hall, said students.

Though the secretary and president denied the infighting and termed the incident a “misunderstanding” among juniors, many students claimed otherwise. They alleged the groups have been trying to establish supremacy on the campus for quite some time.

They also said men loyal to Asif beat up a student in the afternoon allegedly for spreading rumours on social media.

Dr Pritom Kumar, proctor of the university, said the situation is under control now and additional police have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident.

“We will form an inquiry committee in this regard,” he added.