BCL, police clash in Chittagong University

A clash broke out between the demonstrating Chittagong University unit leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and police on Sunday.

Bangladesh Chhatra League is the student wing of ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL).

The BCL men enforced a blockade in the university from 7:30am today locking the main entrance of the university to press home their four-point demand.

The demands are -- withdrawal of arms lawsuit against six of their activists and their release, withdrawal of all political cases filed since 2015, resignation of the proctor and closing of Hathazari police station officer-in-charge Belal Uddin.

OC Belal Uddin told news agency UNB that a case was filed against several BCL activists after a clash between two factions of Awami League's student wing and recovery of arms.

Organising secretary of CU BCL’s abolished committee Mohammad Ilias said, “The movement will go on until the demands are met. Plying of train and other vehicles will be closed till then.”

At the outset of the movement, the BCL men stopped the shuttle train service cutting down hosepipes of several compartments.

Chattogram railway police officer-in-charge Md Mustafizur Rahman told Prothom Alo that for the time being the plying of shuttle is closed.

The shuttle train’s compartment-based organisation of BCL Bijoy and Choose Friend with Care enforced the blockade.

The university authorities called the demonstrators to withdraw the blockade before 12:00pm but they did not respond.

The clash broke out when police tried to disperse the demonstrators. The law enforcement members fired tear-gas shells to disperse the demonstrating BCL men.

The demonstrating Chhatra League men were throwing brick chips taking position in front of Shah Amanat and Suhrawardy halls of the university when the report was filed.

The demonstrators cut tyres of at least 30 buses and other vehicles of the university.