Toll-seeking BCL leader haults work

A hall unit leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) demanding toll forced yesterday the construction firms to stop repair works of Haji Muhammad Mohsin Hall building at Dhaka University.
Two construction firms last year jointly won the Tk 1.29-crore contract for repairing a vulnerable part of the DU hall through bidding. The firms, under the title Mamun-Niaz JV, started working in the first week of October.
Over 500 students are accommodated at the vulnerable part of the building where a number of cracks have been noticed. The authorities last year decided to shift students from that part.
Mamun Ahmed, a partner of the joint venture and the owner of Mamun Enterprise, said followers of BCL Mohsin Hall unit general secretary Mohiuddin at noon prevented them from working.
Kawser Mollah, who monitors the work, alleged that Mohiuddin asked them to pay him Tk 5 lakh as extortion money.
Mohsin Hall Provost Prof Ali Akkas admitted that the incident of extortion was behind suspension of the repair work. "I am in talks with them and the work will resume tomorrow [today]," he said.
BCL leader Mohiuddin, however, refuted the allegation and said the repair work was going on.
In last one month, a number of leaders and activists of BCL have got involved in at least 10 criminal offences including tender and appointment manipulation, extortion, mugging on DU campus.
On Saturday, police detained five BCL activists of Salimullah Muslim Hall and Zahurul Haq Hall on charge of mugging near TSC intersection.
On October 26, BCL leaders and activists of Zahurul Haq, Sir AF Rahman and Suryasen halls following the directives of a central leader of the organisation attempted to grab the Islamia book market at Nilkhet in the city.
On October 1, M Builders, a construction firm, could not submit its tender schedule for Tk 16 lakh development works as some BCL leaders obstructed the firm from dropping tender.
In third week of October, some hall level BCL presidents and general secretaries reportedly pressurised director of the Centre of Excellence, a research centre at DU, over appointment of third class employees. Campus sources said BCL leaders made deals with some job seekers to get them appointed in exchange of Tk 2 lakh.
Contacted, DU unit BCL president Sohel Rana Tipu said, "We have warned hall level leaders last month not to involve in criminal activities. But, some incidents have occurred and we will take action against those who were involved."