Ex-BCL leader beaten up by juniors at DMCH

A former central leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League, was allegedly beaten up by activists of the same body in the early hours of yesterday at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

BCL activists of different hall units of Dhaka University beat up Ruhul Amin, vice president of recently-dissolved central committee, in presence of its DU unit president Sonjit Chandra Das, over boarding a lift.

According to witnesses, Ruhul, his elder brother and sister-in law went to the new building of DMCH, to receive the dead body of his brother's mother-in-law, and boarded the elevator at around 12:30am.

A few seconds later, Sonjit's brother and his wife also boarded the elevator along with some of Sonjit's followers.

Ruhul then asked Sonjit's brother to get off the elevator to make room in the crowded lift, and locked into an altercation with him over the matter.

Around 40 minutes after the incident, nearly 100 BCL activists, including Muzahid and Solaiman of Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall, Mariam Sohan of Surja Sen Hall, Mehedi Hasan Shanto of Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman Hall, Hridoy Hasan Sohag of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall went to the eighth floor of DMCH and started beating up Ruhul Amin. Sonjit was present during the assault.

The BCL men dragged him to second floor. Ruhul was injured severely in the attack and admitted to DMCH later.

Ruhul, also former general secretary of BCL's Sir A F Rahman Hall unit, held Sonjit responsible for the assault, alleging that Sonjit himself beat him up and tried to label him as “Shibir activist”, despite Ruhul introducing himself.

Contacted, Sonjit said he did not know who assaulted Ruhul Amin. “My brother went to DMCH with his wife but Ruhul Amin pushed my brother while boarding the elevator.

He also threatened my brother and hurled abuses towards me when my brother introduced himself. Later, he had a scuffle with the juniors. I went there after some time and resolved it,” he added.

Witnesses said the BCL activists also beat up some pedestrians while they were returning from the hospital.

Mominur Rahman Rocky, a final year student of Dhaka College and Kazi Shawon, degree second year student of Dhaka Alia Madrasa got beaten up by those BCL men, and later took first aid at DMCH.

Talking to the reporters, Rocky said, “A group of people suddenly started to beat us up when we were having dinner at Penang Restaurant. They also snatched our mobile phones and wallets and later handed us over to police.”

Speaking about the matter, General Secretary of BCL's central unit Golam Rabbani said they had informed Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader about the incident, and would notify the prime minister after she returns to Bangladesh.