BCL Factional Clash at CMC: Injured student fighting for life

Aqib

Mahadi J Aqib, one of those injured during Saturday's Chhatra League infighting on the Chittagong Medical College campus, is fighting for his life at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

A student of MBBS 62nd batch at CMC, Aqib underwent an operation after being assaulted, said Dr Ranjan Kumar Nath, head of the intensive care unit at the CMCH.

He regained consciousness yesterday evening, a duty doctor at the ICU, told The Daily Star.

His condition remains critical, said Dr Ranjan.

Aqib, a BCL activist and follower of Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, deputy minister for education, was critically injured when he came under attack by his rivals, supporters of former Chattogram City Corporation mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, when the clash erupted over establishing supremacy on the campus, said sources at CMC.

Emon Sikder, a BCL activist of CMC unit and follower of Nowfel, said the activists, who are supporters of Nasir, also general secretary of Chattogram city unit Awami League, hit Aqib on the head with sticks and iron rods and also hacked him when he was alone in front of Popular Diagnostic Centre, next to CMCH.

The attack happened following a clash between the two groups on Friday night.

"We were in a meeting with the principal at that time," he said, adding, "After hearing the news, we rushed to the spot and rescued him in a critical condition."

Contacted, Prof Dr Noman Khaled Chowdhury, head of neurosurgery department at CMCH, who operated on Aqib's head, said the operation was successful, but the patient was not out of danger.

"There was haemorrhage in his brain," said the doctor, "His skull was cracked."

Aqib and two other BCL activists at CMC were wounded during the factional clash. After the clash, the academic council of CMC sat in a meeting and decided to close the college for an indefinite time, said Prof Dr Shahena Akter, principal of CMC.

BCL activist Taufiqur Rahman filed a case against 16 people over the incident, said Sadekur Rahman, inspector (investigation) of Panchlaish Police Station, adding that police arrested two of them yesterday.

BCL insiders said the CMC campus, its central students' union and hostel have been fully dominated by BCL faction loyal to AJM Nasir Uddin since 2011.They had "driven out" the other student organisation activistsfrom hostel and campus.

The monopoly of the BCL faction loyal to Nasir was challenged after the 2018 national elections. Nowfel was elected lawmaker from Chattogram-9 constituency and became president of CMCH management committee by virtue of his post.

Nasir, who was the mayor of CCC, failed to get the party nomination in the CCC polls scheduled to be held in 2020 (later held in January this year).

Nowfel, meanwhile, was made the deputy minister for education in the present government.

The balance of power in local politics had thus shifted towards Nowfel, who is the son of late AL Chattogram city unit president and former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

Soon, a BCL faction loyal to Nowfel demanded posts of college students' committee and central students' union while the Nasir faction was not ready to yield an inch to their rivals.

The result was clashes in the hostel and on campus on different occasions since 2019. The authorities banned political activities on campus several months ago after a clash, but it was in vain.