BCL beats up Chhatra Union president-secy in DU

Bangladesh Chhatra League leaders-activists have beaten up two leaders of Chhatra Union on the Dhaka University campus.

The two Chhatra Union leaders came under attack at Teachers Student’s Center and Shahbagh areas on Thursday afternoon.

The injured leaders are Chhatra Union DU unit president Meghmallar Basu and general secretary Maeen Ahmed.

They are receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Meghmallar Basu sustained severe injury in his eye.

Earlier on Wednesday, BCL leaders covered the Raju Memorial Sculpture in DU with a black cloth.

Injured Maeen Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “Chhatra League attacked me immediately after I boarded a rickshaw from TSC’s Dus Cafetoria after 1 in the afternoon. Later I heard Meghmallar Basu had been beaten up at Shahbagh.”

DU Chhatra Union’s former president Shimul Kumbhakar protested the attack on Chhatra Union leaders. He said apart from Meghmallar and Maeen, Chhatra Union private university unit leader has also been injured.

Another Chhatra Union leader was beaten up by BCL men at Palashi area, he added.

DU BCL general secretary Tanvir Hasan (Saikat) denied the allegation of attacking Chhatra Union leaders.

“General students have become agitated on Chhatra Union men as they vandalised a picture of the honorable prime minister. It is not possible for us to protect them. They should seek apology for the incident,” Tanvir Hasan said.

BCL and Chhatra Union have been at loggerheads recently over a cut-out of metro rail containing a picture of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The cut-out was put by BCL last month thanking Sheikh Hasina over inauguration of metro rail station at TSC.

Chhatra Union requested BCL to remove the cut-out as it covered the iconic Raju memorial sculpture.

Meanwhile, Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote, an alliance of left leaning student bodies, brought out a torch procession on the campus. At that time, some leaders of the left student organisations tore down the cut-out.

BCL men attacked the activists of left organisations leaving 8-10 injured. Later BCL covered the Raju sculpture with a black cloth in protest.