5 BCL men held over assault on Rajshahi polytechnic principal

Police today claimed to have arrested five accused in a case filed in connection with pushing Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute’s principal into a pond on the campus.

The arrestees are Kamal Hossain Saurav, 24, eighth semester student of computer department; Murad Hosen, 19, fifth semester student of electronics department; Rayhanul Islam Hasib, 21, seventh semester student of electro medical department; and former students of the institute Sabbir Ahmed Shanto, 22 and Md Salman alias Tony, 22.

A special team of Detective Branch of police arrested Saurav, Murad, Shanto and Salman from a road along Bismillah Patrol Pump under Belpukur Police Station early today, according to the Facebook post of DB police posted at 1:03 am.

On the other hand, Hasib was arrested around the same time from Hatikumrul area of Sirajganj by Chandrima police, our Rajshahi correspondent reports quoting Golam Ruhul Kuddus, additional deputy police commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.

They are all involved with Bangladesh Chhatra League, Detective Branch (DB) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) said in a Facebook post early today.

Among them, Saurav, the BCL joint secretary of the institute unit, led the assault on the institute’s principal on November 2.

With this five, 14 people have been arrested in this connection so far.

WHY WAS THE PRINCIPAL ASSAULTED?

A group of Chhatra League men dragged Principal Farid Uddin Ahmed and pushed him into the pond on November 2 as he did not “accept one of their illogical demands”, the principal alleged.

At least 133, mostly BCL activists, of 455 examinees got 0, 1 or 2 in the 90-mark exam for second semester students in September. But the BCL men asked the authorities to make sure the activists pass the exam, the principal said earlier.

On the day, some youths, led by Saurav, intercepted his way near a pond when he was walking towards his office around 2:00pm.

The footage of a CCTV in the area shows some nine to 10 youths dragging the teacher by his hands and neck and then pushing him into the waterbody.

Later on, the principal filed a case against 58 persons including seven BCL men with Chandrima Police Station.