BCL infighting leaves 4 injured at Chittagong University

At least four people were injured as two factions of Bangladesh Chattra League locked into clashes at the Chittagong University on Thursday.

The clash broke out between the faction Choose Friends with Care (CFC), loyal to deputy education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, and the faction ‘69’, loyal to former mayor of Chattogram City Corporation AJM Nasir Uddin, at 4:30pm and last for an hour.

The CFC controls the Shah Amanat Hall of the university while the 69 controls the adjacent Shahjalal Hall.

At around 5:00pm, leaders and activists of both factions, carrying sticks, machetes and brick chips, were seen positioned in front the respective halls. Both groups hurled brick chips; at least five crude bombs were exploded. The clashes left one from 69 and three from CFG faction injured. Later, the university’s proctorial body with the help of police calmed the situation around 5:30pm.

Proctor Nurul Azim told Prothom Alo, “Two groups of students was engaged in the clash, leaving four injured. On information, we rushed to the spot with police and the situation is normal now. We are looking into who started the clash and who were involved.”

Earlier on 31 May and 1 June, leaders of CFC and 69 factions locked into clashes, leaving 16 people injured. At least 30 leaders and activists of BCL from both groups were seen wielding sharp weapons during the clash, and Prothom Alo published a report on 3 June identifying three of them.

BCL sources said both 69 and CFC factions filed lawsuits at Hathajari police station over those clashes, but they had been negotiating recently to withdraw the cases sparking tension over the talks.

69 faction leader and BCL’s Chittagong University unit joint general secretary Saidul Islam told Prothom Alo there is no discipline among leaders and activists of CFC group. Juniors do not obey seniors. As the national election approaches, they are holding talks to withdraw the cases, but the CFC leaders and activists attacked them intentionally and they resisted it.

CFC faction leader and BCL’s Chittagong University unit vice president Mirza Khabir Sadaf said denied these allegations. He told Prothom Alo the matter of case has been settled through talks and there is no link to talks on cases with the clashes. 69 leaders and activists attacked them first and they then resisted. If CCTV footages are scrutinized, truth would be found, he claimed.