DUCSU leaders AB Zubair and Musaddiq attacked in Shahbagh

DUCSU leaders Zubair Bin Neshari (AB Zubair) and Musaddiq Ali Ibn Mohammad were assaulted and beaten in front of Shahbagh Police Station in the capital on Thursday evening.

Islami Chhatra Shibir alleged that activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal carried out the attack.

After the incident, AB Zubair and Musaddiq were rescued and taken to the office of the Officer in Charge (OC) of Shahbagh police station. A group of agitated people, including leaders and activists of Chhatra Dal, gathered in front of the police station premises.

AB Zubair is the Social Welfare Secretary of Dhaka University Central Students' Union, while Musaddiq serves as its Literary and Cultural Secretary. They were elected in last September’s DUCSU elections with the support of Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Speaking on the matter, DUCSU General Secretary and central publicity secretary of Islami Chhatra Shibir, SM Farhad, told Prothom Alo that Chhatra Dal activists, along with outsiders, carried out the attack on AB Zubair and Musaddiq.

Responding to the allegation, Dhaka University unit international affairs secretary of Chhatra Dal, Mehedi Hasan, said, “Following a Facebook post, leaders and activists of Chhatra Shakti and Shibir, including AB Zubair, came to the police station. At that time, Dhaka University students and an agitated crowd attempted to assault them. However, leaders and activists of Chhatra Dal, including its DU unit general secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon, stood as a shield.”

Explaining the background, SM Farhad said that a Facebook account named “Ishan Chowdhury,” allegedly linked to Bangladesh Chhatra League, posted offensive content about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his daughter Zaima Rahman. Later, another account named “Aranya Abir” claimed that the post had been made by Abdullah Al Mahmud, who had contested for a DUCSU executive member post from the Islami Chhatra Shibir panel. Mahmud later clarified from his own account that he was not involved.

Farhad further alleged that despite this clarification, Mahmud had been threatened by Chhatra Dal.

“When Mahmud went to Shahbagh police station to file a general diary (GD), he was made to wait for over an hour without being allowed to file it. At that time, Chhatra Dal members, along with outsiders, went to attack him at the station. When AB Zubair, Musaddiq, and others went there to resolve the matter, they were attacked,” Farhad said.

Describing the incident, a Chhatra Dal leader told Prothom Alo, “We went to Shahbagh police station to protest the spread of a fake photo card about Zaima Rahman. There, we saw the person responsible trying to file a GD. We asked the police to take him into custody. Shortly after, when Chhatra Dal activists were leaving the station, some DUCSU leaders tried to enter while making provocative remarks. That is when the scuffle occurred.”

At around 8:45 pm, Chhatra Dal central president Rakibul Islam arrived at Shahbagh police station. Shortly afterward, he and Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Masud Alam escorted AB Zubair and others out through the gate of the Shahbagh police station mosque.