3 BCL men suspended for assaulting RU staff

The Rajshahi University authorities today suspended three BCL men for beating up the acting chief engineer and two employees of the university.

The three are: SM Touhid-Al-Hossain Tuhin, the recently removed general secretary; Tanmoy Ananda Avi, vice-president, and Mamun-Ur-Rashid Mamun, an activist, of the university unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling Awami League.

Vice-chancellor Prof Muhammad Mizanuddin in a meeting this afternoon suspended the trio, Prof Elias Hossain, public relation office administrator of the university, told our RU correspondent.

The disciplinary committee will later investigate the incident, he added.

On Thursday Tuhin, Avi and Mamun along with their men beat up the university's acting chief engineer Sirajum Munir at vice-chancellor's office as he refused to give them Tk 1 lakh that was demanded as extortion. They also beat up two other employees on the day.

BCL central executive committee removed Tuhin on Friday evening on charge of the incident.

Meanwhile, teachers, officers and employees of the university protested the attack and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Rajshahi University Teachers Association (Ruta), Karmakarta Karmachari Oikya Parishad and officers’ association separately demanded their arrest and exemplary punishment. 

Ruta General Secretary Pranab Kumar Pandey in a press release demanded permanent suspension and immediate arrest of the BCL men.

Earlier around 10:00am, over 200 officers and employees staged a sit-in in front of the university administrative building to press home their demands. They also held a protest rally.

Addressing the rally, they have issued a three-day ultimatum to arrest the responsible BCL men.