Administration hapless against BCL’s rampage

The violence of Chhatra League at the Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) continues unabated. There have been at least five allegations against activists and leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of torturing common students, job aspirants and journalists.

Although the administration promptly forms probe committees as soon as they receive any complaint, no action is taken eventually. As a result, the BCL activists are getting involved in more and more reckless activities.

Expressing his frustration over this, JUST vice-chancellor (VC) Anwar Hossain said, “I am regarded as the most powerful as compared to previous vice-chancellors of the university. But I too have become helpless in face of the rampage of BCL activists. I raised proposals in two phases to take action against the accused students at the highest policy making forum – Regent Board, but they were discarded. I have become helpless due to political reasons.”

The teachers and students on the campus say the BCL activists are being patronised by Jashore-3 lawmaker Kazi Nabil Ahmed. The administration cannot take any actions against the accused students as Kazi Nabil Ahmed is a member of the regent board.

Speaking regarding this, Kazi Nabil Ahmed told Prothom Alo, “The Chhatra League activists are followers of only prime minister Sheikh Hasina. There could be a few bad persons inside Chhatra League. The Chhatra League is an organisation. If anyone is involved in any anti-disciplinary activities, then actions will be taken centrally.”

Speaking regarding the recurrent incidents of torture, the Awami League lawmaker said, “There have been some incidents before. A new incident of torturing another student has surfaced. I have spoken to the VC. Everyone involved will be brought to book.”

The Jashore University of Science and Technology was established in 2007 in the Ambattala village in the Sadar upazila 12 kilometres away from the Jashore city.

Although any sort of political activities are prohibited as per the student code of the university, Chhatra League started its activities on campus in May 2014 breaching that version.

The central Chhatra League announced a partial 11-member unit making Md Sohel Rana the president and Tanvir Faisal the general secretary on 31 July 2022. It has been learned that 7 of those 11 in the committee are no longer students.

President Sohel Rana was a student of physical education and sports science from the 2011-12 academic session. General secretary Tanvir Faisal was a student of the environmental science and technology department from the 2013-14 session. Although they no longer are students, they still dominate the campus.

Afiqur Rahman, vice-president of the committee, has already started a job after finishing his studies. Another vice-president Mehedi Hasan completed his honours three years ago. He doesn’t hold studentship anymore. Joint general secretary is a student of the 2013-14 session. He too is no longer a student.

However, BCL president Sohel Rana claimed he is doing Masters at the university and had a few years' gap after completing his Honours. Speaking regarding the studentship of the other members of the committee, “The complete committee will be announced soon. Those who are not students any more or have got married will be scrutinised.”

VC Anwar Hossain said Sohel is not a student of the university anymore. He was given the chance to attend the masters examination under special consideration. But, he missed that. Besides, most of the people in the BCL committee are not students anymore.

According to university sources, at least seven allegations of torture and violence against the BCL activists have been registered over the last one and a half years.

Lastly, on 4 June, Shahrin Rahman, resident of Shaheed Mashiur Rahman Hall, was tortured all night in the room of BCL president Sohel Rana. The victim was allegedly beaten with rods and sticks that night by the BCL activists led by Sohel Rana. However, Sohel Rana denied the allegations.

Earlier on 7 December last year, 11 job-aspirants for the posts of lift operator were subjected to torture by the BCL activists. They were kept confined in the Mashiur Rahman Hall for five hours and were tortured there. Later, they were taken outside the campus and were released there.

The university authorities formed a probe committee over the incident twice, which found evidence of involvement of six students in the incidents. However, they couldn’t take any action against the accused even after six months.

Speaking regarding this, VC Anwar Hossain said he raised the proposal to rusticate the accused twice in the regent board, but the proposal was refused every time citing the need of further extensive investigation of the incident.

The university sources say as per the decision of the regent board, the accused won’t be allowed to stay on the campus during further investigation. However, accused Belal Hossain, Nripendra Nath Roy, Mushfiqur Rahman, Fahim Faisal, Abu Bakkar and GM Raisul Haque still reside in different residential halls of the university.

One of the victims filed a case accusing six BCL activists with Jashore Kotwali police station over the incident. The police are yet to arrest any of the accused.

Speaking regarding this, Jashore additional superintendent of police (ASP, crime) Belal Hossain said, “The investigation into the case is still underway. The charge sheet will be submitted very soon.”

Speaking regarding the allegations, university BCL general secretary Tanvir Faisal said, “It’s true that there have been several media reports accusing the BCL activists. But nobody really investigated the matters. All the 4,200 students of the university introduce themselves as BCL activists. This is why the BCL gets accused in all incidents. We can take action against those who are active BCL members. But how would we take action against those who are not members of the Chhatra League?”

VC Anwar Hossain said, “I stay in the campus all day. Despite that, the BCL activists get involved in violence and other illegal activities, which is very unfortunate. They want to make a fortune by putting the VC under constant pressure. They succeed at times. They are being patronised politically on the campus. So we are not being able to take much action against them.”

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu