BCL, Shibir remain 'untouchables'

Authorised by Rajshahi University (RU), police enforced a ban yesterday barring left leaning students from bringing out processions on the campus but took no such move against Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Some 60 students of Progressive Students' Alliance, comprising Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Bangladesh Students' Union and Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree, had gathered behind the central library twice trying to bring out processions.

The first at 3:00pm was in protest of the RU authority's November 18 deadline for owners to dismantle some 50 shops on the campus, mostly selling food, for “destroying the congenial atmosphere”. 

The second was at 5:30pm in protest of the knife attack by unidentified miscreants just hours earlier leading to Prof AKM Shafiul Islam's death.

Shibir's procession comprising some 100 activists lasted for around half an hour from 9:30am at Tukitaki Chhatar.

They were protesting, what they claimed, the October 29 death of an activist in police firing on agitation centring capital punishment handed down on Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, and demanding release of RU unit Shibir secretary Saifuddin Yeahia, arrested on September 26 last year over numerous cases.

Half an hour later, over 100 BCL men brought out a procession, circling the campus protesting “Shibir's presence”.

Police has been deployed around the campus to enforce the ban, imposed on March 3, on all types of processions, rallies and the use of megaphones on the campus.

The order came following violence on the campus on February 2 when police and BCL activists attacked a procession of RU students who were demonstrating protesting the hike of university fees and continuation of evening masters programmes.

Avoiding the question on the reason behind the discrimination, RU Proctor Prof Tarikul Hasan rhetorically said police will take action if anyone defies the ban.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Alam Hossain, tasked with overseeing police activities on the campus, claimed of having no knowledge of BCL and Shibir bringing out processions.

There are instances when BCL men brandished firearms before police, who turned a blind eye, said RU Bangladesh Chhatra Front President Sohrab Hossain.