JCD protests nationwide
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal has staged protests across the country against the recent attacks by Chhatra League.
The BCL, however, has also announced protests against what it calls "attacks on its leaders and activists and general students by Chhatra Dal".
Educationists now fear clashes between the two major student fronts may spread across the country if the government and educational institutions don't take appropriate measures.
Amid this face-off between the BCL and the JCD, the Awami League and the BNP are also trading blame.
AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday said the BNP was making ill attempts to create a chaotic situation in the country.
Senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that the recent attacks on JCD men were carried out by Chhatra League in Dhaka University area at the behest of the highest levels of the government.
BCL men attacked JCD leaders and activists on Tuesday when they tried to enter the DU campus to attend a programme. On Thursday, JCD men again came under attack by BCL activists during their protest over the previous attack.
Yesterday, Chhatra Dal staged protests at the metropolitan and district levels. The organisation will stage protests at the upazila and college levels today.
Chhatra League yesterday announced that it would form human chains in all districts today protesting "attacks by Chhatra Dal" and demanding peace on the DU campus.
Witnesses said BCL activists yesterday took positions in different areas of the DU, including TSC, Curzon Hall, Fuller Road, near the Central Shaheed Minar and Madhur Canteen. Many of them were carrying sticks and cricket stumps.
Saddam Hussain, general secretary of DU BCL, said they will make sure that no organisation can be violent on the campus.
"We will prevent Chhatra Dal from entering the campus at any cost," he told The Daily Star.
Several JCD leaders told this correspondent that they would soon try to enter the campus again.
JCD General Secretary Saif Mahmud Jewel said they would come up with tougher protest programmes if they fail to enter the DU campus to stage protests peacefully.
"We have already urged the university authorities to call a meeting of the Paribesh Parishad to ensure peaceful coexistence of all student organisations on campus," he said.
Eight leftist student organisations have also raised the same demand.
Educationist Prof Syed Anwar Hossain said, "If the government and the university administration cannot stop clashes with the help of law enforcement agencies, such incidents will recur. Most of those involved in campus violence are not students there. They raise no demands on students' rights. Implementation of political parties' agenda by student bodies is creating instability on campus."
He said law enforcement agencies and the university administration need to take adequate measures to avoid further violence. Otherwise, large clashes may take place.
Criticising the government and the university administration, he said, "Why should students carry rods, sticks, and weapons?"
DU Vice Chancellor Prof M Akhtaruzzaman said, "A certain quarter always tries to destabilise the campus and create panic to make political gains. We expect that educational environment on campus will always remain favourable."
Asked about the demand for calling a meeting of the Paribesh Parishad, he declined to comment.
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