Seven activists of Bangladesh Chhatra Federation (BCF), student wing of Ganosamhati Andolan, were injured as Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men allegedly attacked them on Dhaka University (DU) campus on Tuesday night.

BCF claims the victims were attacked by BCL's Fazlul Huq Hall unit members around 10pm.

The victims are: BCF central unit Organising Secretaries Sadik Reza and Moshiur Rahman Khan; its DU unit Publicity Affairs Secretary Imran Hossain; Dhaka Metropolitan Unit Deputy Secretaries Rupok Ray, Mohammad Sujan, Rayhan Zaman and a member Rasel Sarker.

All of them were undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Talking to The Daily Star, Umme Habiba Benojir, president of BCF's DU unit, said Rasel Sarker locked into an altercation with some BCL men in front of DU Physical Education Centre as they asked for his identity.

The BCL men assaulted Rasel after he introduced himself as an activist of BCF, said Benojir.

“One hour later, some 20 to 25 BCL activists of DU's Fazlul Huq Hall unit rushed to the Physical Education Centre where BCF activists were about to hold a programme,” Benojir claimed.

The BCF activists asked why they assaulted Rasel. As BCL leaders denied assaulting anyone, Publicity Affairs Secretary of DU unit Imran Hossain said they would identify the attackers from CCTV footage.

Hearing this, the BCL men became aggressive and started beating up Chhatra Federation activists with iron rods and sticks – leaving six of them wounded, she added.

Asked about the involvement of BCL, its DU unit General Secretary Saddam Hussain said, “We heard there was an altercation between two BCL activists and outsiders. The outsiders beat them up. Upon receiving information, I went to Physical Education Centre and tried to resolve the fight.”

Contacted, DU Proctor Prof AKM Golam Rabbani said he was notified about the matter and had sent a proctorial team there.

“Everyone should act responsibly,” he added.

Chhatra Federation rented DU's Physical Education Centre dormitory on December 10 for a 20-day education conference organised to generate interest in education, literature and culture. Since then, BCF activists have been staying there.   

'COUNTRY MOVING TOWARDS A FORCIBLY MANIPULATED ELECTION'

Meanwhile, Ganosamhati Andolan Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki yesterday claimed that people are being barred from participating in the upcoming national election.

“There are two dimensions of participating in election: one is participation of the [political] parties and the other is that of the people. If people are not allowed to participate in the polls, then ensuring participation of the parties is nothing but futile formalities,” he said at a press conference held to brief on Tuesday's attack and the upcoming national polls. The event was held at the party's Hatirpool office.

Saki alleged that activists of opposition parties are being attacked while electioneering and law enforcers are not obstructing the perpetrators. “There is an effort to keep the opposition from [joining] the election.,” he alleged.

He also demanded that BCL take steps against those who attacked the BCF men.