MC College dorm closed after BCL vandalism
The authorities of Murari Chand (MC) College in Sylhet declared closure of all the blocks of its lone dormitory for an indefinite period after a faction of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists ransacked the hostel yesterday morning.
The students already vacated their rooms, said the authorities.
Abdul Kuddus, a hostel staff, said a group of 25 youths stormed into the dorm around 9:00am.
They vandalised doors and windows of five blocks, said Tofayel, a student living in the dorm, adding that five resident students sustained minor injuries.
Several BCL activists and dorm residents, seeking anonymity, said the attackers belong to a BCL faction backed by Titu Chowdhury and Belal Abedin Diamond.
On Wednesday night, a BCL group led by Nazmul Hossain and Hossain Ahmed forced another faction led by Titu to leave the dormitory, said witnesses.
Hossain told The Daily Star that they did so because Titu is harboring Islami Chhatra Shibir activists.
He alleged that Titu along with some outsiders attacked the hostel to take revenge on them.
Titu could not be contacted as he did not respond to repeated phone calls made by this correspondent.
Abdul Alim Tushar, general secretary of the city unit of BCL, said the attackers are BCL activists of the dissolved committee of the college unit.
He said organisational steps will be taken against those who were involved in the vandalism.
College Principal Prof Nitai Chandra Chanda said a three-member probe committee led by Prof Abdul Quddus was formed.
Meanwhile, general students living in the dormitory demonstrated and formed a human chain by blocking Amberkhana-Tilagarh road in front of the hostel, demanding punishment for the attackers.
Anwarul Alam, officer-in-charge (acting) of Shah Poran Police Station, said they are looking into the matter.
The principal said such an attack is a consequence of inaction against the vandalism in 2012.
The dormitory was burnt down by BCL activists during a clash with Shibir on July 8, 2012.