Central BCL leader's death sparks protests
The “mysterious” death of a central Bangladesh Chhatra League leader sparked protests in Chittagong yesterday.
Diaz Irfan Chowdhury, assistant secretary of the pro-Awami League student organisation, was found hanging in his residence near Gate No-2 of Chittagong University on Sunday night. At that time, his family members were not present.
Neighbours first noticed the body through a window and informed police.
The family alleged that the body was hanged after he was killed. His cellphone was missing, they said.
His legs were touching the bed, arousing suspicion over whether it was a suicide, said Enamul Haque Ovi, vice president of the CU unit of BCL.
Diaz's mother Jaheda Amin Chowdhury alleged that a teacher who holds an administrative post at CU and one of the top leaders of the unit of BCL masterminded the incident.
She said tender-related rivalry among BCL leaders led to the “murder”.
Diaz, also a former joint secretary of the BCL unit who completed his master's in finance at the university, was an MPhil student there.
In the last two months, at least four fierce clashes took places between the activists of two groups over the tender of Tk 95 crore for the expansion of the arts and humanities faulty and Sheikh Hasina Hall on the campus, injuring at least six BCL men.
On October 31, the top leader of the CU BCL unit was hacked by his rivals in front of Abdur Rab Hall over the tender.
On the very night, his followers vandalised and ransacked Diaz's residence and assaulted his mother and a sister, the family further alleged.
Diaz's elder sister Jobaida Amin Chowdhury said he was in a happy mood with his friends on the CU campus, marking its golden jubilee. “My brother could not commit suicide.”
About the reasons behind the death, Hathazari Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Belal said they can say more about it after getting the autopsy report.
Nure Alam Mina, superintendent of police in Chittagong, also said they are conducting an investigation.
According to the police inquest report, police found the body, hanging from the ceiling fan, after breaking open the door.
The report says, the northern door of the room leading to the open balcony was found open. Marks of injuries were found on his left arm, below the left knee and on the neck.
Claiming that it is a pre-planned murder, Diaz's followers gathered before his house, chanted slogans against the killers and demanded a fair probe into the incident.
The BCL activists loyal to Diaz vandalised a CU-bound Demu train, disrupting shuttle train services between the university and the port city in the morning.
Around 100 supporters blocked the city's Probartak intersection and Chittagong-Hathazari road for one and a half hours, creating a tailback there.
They withdrew the blockade following intervention of police and the CU authorities.
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