DU VC apologises for his remark, protest against BCL attacks continue

Amid a huge outcry over his remark on quota reformists, Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof Akhtaruzzaman yesterday offered apology claiming that he did not label the protestors as “militants”.

“I did not term the quota reformists 'militants'; rather I said their activities have similarities with that of some militant outfits. That does not mean I called them militants,” he said.

The VC was briefing journalists at his office yesterday.

He also claimed that his speech was misrepresented in the media.

On Sunday, Prof Akhtaruzzaman compared the activities of quota reformists with that of Islamist militant outfits like Taliban and Al-Shabaab.

“I don't use Facebook but one of my colleagues showed me a recorded Facebook live video of the quota reformists... It was as if I was watching something similar to the provocative video messages the Taliban, Al-Shabaab or Boko Haram had sent from secret places to incite violence,” he said while talking to reporters about the quota reform movement at his office on that day.

He also criticised the recent protests by female students at a DU dormitory at night.

HUMAN CHAIN AT APARAJEYO BANGLA

Meanwhile, students of Dhaka University's Bangla department, yesterday, formed a human chain on the campus demanding justice for attack on one of its students during the quota reform movement.

Nearly a hundred students lined up at the base of Aparajeyo Bangla, holding banners and placards condemning the attack on Masud Rana.

Speaking at the programme, Amzad Hossain, a third-year student of the department, said that attack on students on campus is unprecedented.

“Students of DU took part in the quota reform movement spontaneously but the VC is calling them “militants”. Is Dhaka University producing militants then?” he questioned.

Another student, Farzana Kheya, said, “A student was beaten like a dog at a place like Shaheed Minar. It cannot be tolerated. We will not sit in classrooms until the attackers of Masud are punished.”

Mausd Rana, a third-year student of the department, was beaten up by BCL men on July 2 on the Central Shaheed Minar premises as he went there to take part in the quota reform protest.

THREE QUOTA REFORM LEADERS REMANDED

A Dhaka court yesterday placed three leaders of quota reform movement on a two-day remand -- each in two cases filed in connection with the attacks on Dhaka University vice chancellor's residence and police, and vandalising vehicles on April 9.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah Al Masud passed the order after Bahauddin Faruqui, inspector of Detective Branch of police and also the investigation officer of the cases, produced the trio before the court with a 14-day remand prayer for each in two cases.

The three arrestees -- Jashim Uddin Akash, Moshiur Rahman and Faruk Hasan -- are joint conveners of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, a platform that spearheaded the quota reform demonstrations.

Jashim and Mashiur are shown arrested in a case filed for the attack at DU VC's residence while Faruk was shown arrested in another case filed for attacking cops and vandalising vehicles in different areas in Dhaka.

Faruk was sent to jail on July 3 after police showed him arrested in a case filed on April 11.

Meanwhile, Tariqul Hassan, another arrestee, was not produced before the court yesterday. His remand prayer will be held on July 17 in his presence.

Tariqul and Jasim, who were held on July 2, were sent to jail the next day after detectives produced them before a court in connection with the case.

Also on July 2, another leader Muhammad Rashed Khan was placed on a five-day remand a day after police had arrested him in Bhasantek area. Rashed is now on a 10-day remand in two cases.

On July 2, a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) members beat up Tariqul on the premises of Dhaka University Central Library and handed him over to police.

He was later shown arrested in the case filed over vandalising the VC's residence.

Barrister Sarah Hossain and Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua submitted two separate petitions seeking bail along with cancellation of the remand prayers on behalf of the trio saying that their clients were mercilessly beaten and there were no grounds to place them on remand.

SCBA DEMANDS FORMATION OF PROBE BODY TO INVESTIGATE THE ATTACKS

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) yesterday demanded formation of a committee with a Supreme Court judge and two former vice chancellors to investigate the attacks on the quota reform movement activists and to arrest and punish the persons responsible for the incidents.

“Dhaka University's vice chancellor has ordered the university campus off limits to general people, announcing that the students have militancy connection. We consider this dictatorship. He (VC of DU) cannot do this,” SCBA President Zainul Abedin said.

Speaking at a press conference at the SCBA auditorium, Advocate Zainul said, “The responsibility of the DU VC is to ensure the security of students, but instead of doing that he is busy establishing the interest of the government by making provoking statements,” he said. The SCBA president demanded immediate release of the detained students, medical treatments for the injured students, arrest of the attackers.

Advocate Zainul said that they support the logical movement.