BCL activists now eye DU women's hall

Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) leaders at Dhaka University's Ruqayyah Hall on Thursday night tried to force resident students to accommodate their activists who had been living in other rooms.

Protesting the incident, the residents along with other students held demonstrations at the dormitory later in the night. They also locked its main gate yesterday afternoon.

Soon, a scuffle ensued between the students and the BCL leaders and activists led by their president BM Lipi Akter. One of the students, Moushumi Biswas, hurt herself in the incident, said witnesses.

Alleging that the BCL activists have already occupied several rooms at the hall, the agitating students yesterday gave the hall authorities a two-day ultimatum to fulfil their three-point demand, including that for freeing the rooms immediately.

Several students said BCL leader BM Lipi Akter along with their activists around 9:30pm on Thursday night tried to force five students out of their room in the extension building.

Immediately, the resident students along with other students complained to the resident teachers about the matter. They also held demonstrations after midnight.

They alleged that the BCL leaders and activists have illegally occupied six rooms in the main building and two others in the extension building of the dormitory.

However, Lipi has denied the allegations. “We neither grabbed any room nor hurt anyone. Those who are demonstrating are not general students. They are leftists.”

Contacted, Hall Provost Nazma Shaheen said, “Several students have told us that they feel insecure and don't get the environment for study if there are Chhatra League activists in their rooms.”

“We have recovered and locked a room which was occupied by the BCL activists,” she said, adding that she would meet the resident teachers this morning to resolve the problem.

In a similar incident around midnight of March 14, Chhatra League leaders and activists at the university's Bijoy Ekattor Hall tried to force residents to accommodate their men who had been living in a common room.

They also vandalised the room of the hall provost. Later, BCL suspended five of its activists from the organisation for their involvement in the vandalism.