Clashes break out between Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal over confining and rescuing DU provost

Several students were injured in clashes between leaders and activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir and Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Dhaka University’s Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall early Monday, following an attempt to bring the hall’s provost out of his office, where he had been confined over allegations of torturing a student.

The incident took place around 2:45 am, witnesses said.

Professor Elias Al-Mamun, provost of the hall, was confined to his office on Sunday afternoon after allegations emerged that he had detained and tortured a student in his office for about one and a half hours over a Facebook post.

Islami Chhatra Shibir activists, along with leaders and activists of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) and the hall union, allegedly confined the provost to his office demanding his resignation.

Witnesses said JCD activists went to the hall around 2:45 am to take the provost out. At one point, activists from the two groups got into clashes and pushed one another, leaving several students injured.

Among the injured were hall union vice-president Abu Naim and general secretary Imam-ul Hasan. Students said the injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by ambulance.

DU pro-vice-chancellor (administration) Professor Mohammad Almozaddedi Alfechani, pro-vice-chancellor (education) Professor Abdus Salam, acting proctor Professor Israfil Prang and several assistant proctors were present at the hall to control the situation and bring the provost out of his office.

At one point, they too were confined inside the provost’s office, witnesses said.

The two pro-vice-chancellors later left the office. Meanwhile, acting proctor Israfil Prang was at the gate of the provost’s office with hall union vice-president Abu Naim, GS Imam-ul Hasan and several other students.

When attempts were made to take the acting proctor and provost out, JCD activists got into a clash with Chhatra Shibir and hall union activists, according to witnesses. Acting proctor Israfil Prang fell after being pushed during the incident.

A group of JCD activists later took the acting proctor and provost out of the office, eyewitnesses said.

JCD office secretary Mallik Wasi Tami told journalists that Chhatra Shibir activists from other halls had gathered at the site. JCD activists went there after a video involving the hall union VP and GS went viral, he said.

Asked whether JCD had led the effort to take the provost out, Tami said, “We did not go inside. Leaders and activists of the hall unit went there.”

Meftahul Hossain Al Maruf, publicity and media secretary of the Dhaka University unit of Chhatra Shibir, alleged that JCD activists carried out a one-sided attack.

He said it was unfair to justify the incident as a “clash” when, according to him, JCD activists had attacked students and their elected representatives who had gone to the provost to seek answers and obtain CCTV footage. JCD has taken on the role of Chhatra League and attacked them.

They took away the provost, he alleged.

Contacted, DU acting proctor Professor Israfil Prang said, “Perhaps one side wanted to create a push-and-shove or a disturbance. One person can do many things if they want to, so we need to look at the intention here.”

“Overall, I felt that this was not a healthy process of making demands. This can in no way be an acceptable process,” he said.

The university has formed a committee to investigate the incident, he added.

Meanwhile, Md Ibrahim, a residential student of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall and a 2020-21 academic-year student of the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, alleged that the provost detained him in his office for about one and a half hours on Sunday afternoon over a Facebook post he had shared.

Ibrahim alleged that he was intimidated and subjected to physical and mental abuse, had his mobile phone taken away and was forced to sign a written statement.

However, Provost Elias Al Mamun denied the allegations.

He said the student had written “inaccurate” comments about him on Facebook. After discussing the matter with the hall union, the student was called to his office and asked about the post, he said.

According to the provost, the student was asked to hand over his phone after it became apparent that he was recording their conversation. The student later deleted the recording himself, he said.

The provost claimed that he explained the matter to the student and later had him fed breakfast before letting him leave. Denying the allegation of locking the door to confine the student, he said the incident happened during the day in his office, where all the hall officers and employees were present.