11 hurt in BCL-JCD clash at RU

At least 11 leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were injured in a clash on Rajshahi University (RU) campus yesterday.
JCD central vice president Abu Bakar Siddique, RU unit convener Arafat Reza Ashique and joint convener Salauddin Rana, activists Ekramul Haque Hira, Saiful, BCL activists Muhammad Ranju, Habibur Rahman, Kamal Hossain, are among the injured.
They received primary treatment at the university medical centre and private clinics adjacent to the campus.
Campus sources said JCD activists brought out a rally in the morning marking the death anniversary of Naziruddin Jihad, who was killed in an anti-government movement during the regime of Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1990.
The clash ensued around 11:45am when a group of BCL activists, led by Ahmed Ali, attacked the rally with tree branches.
The two feuding groups chased each other and pelted with brickbats during the clash at the Folklore Circle, leaving 11 of them injured.
Later the BCL activists drove out JCD men from the campus in presence of the law enforcers and staged demonstration around 12.30pm.
JCD leader Arafat alleged that they came under attack as they protested the recent campus unrest by the BCL men. He also demanded resignation of RU Proctor Prof Chowdhury Zakaria for his alleged inaction during the attack, though he was present on the scene.
BCL leaders said they protested the JCD men for chanting slogans against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government in the rally.
Prof Zakaria said the JCD men did not seek any permission for holding rally, though the university authorities earlier imposed restriction on all activities of student bodies for an indefinite period.
“Stern action would be taken against anybody if found involved in destabilising the campus environment defying the restriction,” he warned.
Officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station Abul Khayer said additional police were deployed after the clash and the situation was under control.