BCL attacks DU students, 10 injured

At least 10 students of Dhaka University were injured as activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League beat them at the DU vice-chancellor’s office on Tuesday.

According to witnesses, the BCL men attacked the student demonstrators at the VC's office to free VC professor Md Akhtaruzzaman from a state of confinement.

Around 20-25 BCL men, joined by others, stormed into the VC's office room and managed to disperse the demonstrators.

BCL is the student wing of the ruling Awami League.

The injured students include Razib Kumar Das, Tajuar, Zahr Lal Ray, Apu, Arshad, Umme Habiba Benzir, Rayhan, Zafrul Nadim, Russell, and Liton Nandi. They are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The BCL activists led by its general secretary Zakir Hossain went in front of the VC office on Tuesday afternoon to ‘rescue’ the vice-chancellor, Md Akhtaruzzaman, who was confined to his office when the agitating students laid a siege there.

The demonstrators demanded implementation of their four points including scrapping of affiliation of seven colleges with Dhaka University, said victims.

The BCL men assaulted the demonstrators including female students on several rounds and forced them out of the VC office, they added.

Earlier, the agitating students besieged the vice-chancellor at his office around 12:00pm as, they said, authorities were yet to respond to their demands.

The demands include withdrawal of a case filed by the DU administration against students in connection with intrusion into the proctor’s office, actions against BCL activists, who had reportedly assaulted students and molested female students on 15 January, and resignation of university proctor.