Rajshahi University
BCL orders student to leave hall, gives seat to non-residential student
The leaders and activists of Madar Bux hall unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in Rajshahi University have allegedly issued ultimatum to a residential student to leave the hall within seven days.
The leaders and activists of ruling Awami League’s student organisation also have forcefully secured a seat for a non-residential student. All the incidents took place at room no. 431 of the Madar Bux Hall of the university at around 10:30 pm on Monday.
Victim Mehedi Hasan is a Masters student of genetic engineering and biotechnology department. And the accused are Madar Bux Hall BCL unit organising secretary Jayanta Roy and activist Arif.
The victim and witnesses say some five to six BCL activists led by Arif came to the Room 431 of the hall at around 10:30 pm on Monday. All of them are followers of Jayanta Roy. They asked when Mehedi Hasan will leave the hall. The BCL men kept the beddings of Nazmul, a non-residential student, in the room. They also issued an ultimatum to Mehedi Hasan to leave the hall within seven days saying that Nazmul will stay in the room.
The BCL men, who were seen with a list, left the room along with Nazmul quickly as they sensed presence of a journalist there. They were enquiring about which seat is empty in the hall. Later, Nazmul came to the room at around 12:30 am and stayed the night there.
Nazmul Hasan said he is a student of the university’s institute of education and research under the session 2020-21. He was given the seat on condition of joining politics. “I follow the politics of Jayanta bhai. He managed the seat for me as I don’t have accommodation facilities yet.”
Victim Mehedi Hasan said, “Jayanta left a bag in the room 20 days ago. I said I’ll leave the hall when my results are published. He did not say anything then. Just a few days after that, three or four young persons came and asked me to leave the hall within seven days.”
“I could not imagine I’ll would be insulted by a junior student at the end of my university days. Some five or six youths led by Arif came and made place for a student,” he added.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Arif said, “Nazmul was given a seat through Runu bhai. Runu bhai forwarded the matter to Jayanta bhai since he is in charge of this hall and takes care of things here. That’s why he (Nazmul) was given a seat through Jayanta bhai.”
Madar Bux Hall unit BCL organising secretary Jayanta Roy said, “Nazmul is involved with BCL’s politics for long. We came to know that the seat will be empty in a few days. As Nazmul has a crisis, we managed the seat for him, consulting with Runu bhai.”
He, however, denied issuing a seven-day ultimatum to Mehedi to leave the hall.
When this correspondent phoned Rajshahi University BCL unit secretary Foysal Ahmed Runu, he said, “Many come to us with request to manage a seat at the halls. If any BCL activist comes to us with such request, we send them to the leaders of concerned hall. But I do not know who managed seat for whom at which hall. I’ll enquire about it and try to resolve the matter.”
Foysal Ahmed Runu phoned this correspondent after half an hour and said Nazmul will not be kept at that room. However, Nazmul stayed in that room at night.
Speaking about this, Madar Bux Hall provost Shamim Hossain said, “One of my relatives passed away on Sunday. That’s why I’m upset. That student phoned me Sunday. I said whoever has residential facility will stay in the room. I’ll look into the matter today (Tuesday).”