At least 12 activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student associate of ruling Awami League, were injured in a factional clash between rival groups over occupying a seat in Salimullah Muslim Hall of Dhaka University Thursday (20 April) night.
The injured received medical attention at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and University Medical Centre.
According to students and officials of the hall, the clash started around 11:30pm between the followers of hall unit BCL president Tahsan Ahmed Rasel and that of the unit’s secretary Mehedi Hasan Tapos following an altercation over a seat allocation.
They said that Tapos’s followers had removed a bed of a fresher, a follower of Rasel, from the corridor in the middle of hall TV and reading room and beat him up. Then the activists of the two factions chased each other with iron rods, sticks, machetes and bricks for half an hour creating panic among hall students.
Later, DU acting proctor AM Amzad and senior BCL leaders rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control.
Tapos alleged, ‘My activists moved a bed from the path as it was disturbing free movement, but Rasel’s followers brutally beat up five of my activists with iron rods.’
Rejecting the allegation, Rasel said that his activist had been beaten up and displaced. ‘Tapos’s follower chased us with rods and machetes and injured seven of my activists,’ he added.
DU chapter BCL president Abid al Hasan said that organisational steps would be taken against the persons involved in the clash.
The acting proctor said that punitive measures would be taken after investigation.
