Kuet tensions spill onto other campuses
Activists of Chhatra Dal and Students Against Discrimination faced off at different universities last night, hours after clashes between the groups left over 40 people injured on Kuet campus.
The clashes at Kuet began in the afternoon over a restriction on student politics that has been in place at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology since the fall of the Awami League regime in August last year.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. On Dhaka University campus last night, anti-discrimination students held a rally and marched.
The central committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), a pro-BNP student body, last night sent a team to Kuet to investigate what happened there and report in 24 hours.
JCD President Rakibul Islam Rakib, General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir, Senior Joint General Secretary Shyamal Malum, and joint general secretaries Shahadat Hossain and Sohel Rana are in the team.
Dhaka University Chhatra Dal said the clashes at Kuet were instigated by a "secret organisation".
Ganesh Chandra Roy Sahas, president of DU Chhatra Dal, stated that JCD activists were distributing entry forms at Kuet when a group misled people into believing that Chhatra Dal was aligned with the fascists.
DU Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nahiduzzaman Shipon said the group responsible for the Kuet clashes had a history of anti-Liberation activities in 1971, supporting the Ershad regime in the 1990s, and attempting to derail democracy in 1996.
"Now, they are disguising themselves as general students to run a campaign against Chhatra Dal," he warned.
The JCD attempted to march towards Raju Bhashkorjo around 8:15pm, but due to the presence of anti-discrimination students, they held a brief rally near Rokeya Hall.
On the other hand, Hasnat Abdullah, leader of the anti-discrimination students, told a rally at Dhaka University last night, "Whoever wants to emerge as the Chhatra League and take a position against students will face the same consequences the banned student organisation had faced."
They will today exhibit at Dhaka University the photos and videos of the oppression during July uprising and what they said were Chhatra Dal and local BNP men's attack on students at Kuet.
The exhibition will be streamed and projected on large screens at other universities.
At Jahangirnagar University, Touhid Mohammad Siam, a leader of the anti-discrimination students, said at a demonstration, "If they resort to such violence without being in power, one can only imagine how reckless they will become if they are in power. It took 36 days to depose a dictator like Hasina. It won't take more than 36 minutes to oust the BNP and its student wing if they continue their terrorist activities."
WHAT HAPPENED AT KUET
On Monday, pro-BNP Chhatra Dal activists distributed handbills that said students should be able to engage in politics, according to sources.
In response, the anti-discrimination activists marched on campus in the afternoon yesterday, chanting slogans denouncing student politics.
The situation became tense when they were marching past a group of Chhatra Dal activists.
Around 1:00pm, the groups began chasing each other and clashed until 6:00pm, said witnesses.
Photos of injured students and men holding large scythes and machetes went viral on Facebook in the afternoon. The warring sides said they were not the ones who brought the sharp weapons.
Mirajul Islam Emon, spokesperson of the anti-discrimination students, said Chhatra Dal activists had brought local BNP men to attack the students.
"They stabbed some students and assaulted others," he said.
Police said around 45 people were injured.
Ahmmad Ishtiaq, former convener of Khulna city Chhatra Dal, who was at the scene, said members of Chhatra Shibir, along with a few supporters of Chhatra League, were trying to stop Chhatra Dal's political activities on and around the campus.
"This led to the clashes," he told The Daily Star.
Khulna's Khan Jahan Ali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Kabir Hossain said around 45 people were injured.
Kuet Vice-Chancellor Mohammad Mashud refused to comment on the situation.
Around 10:00pm last night, a group of students under the banner of General Students of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology held a press conference.
They demanded a complete ban on student politics, punishment of the attackers, and resignations of the VC, Pro-VC, and Student Welfare Director. Until the demands are met, all classes and exams will remain suspended at Kuet, they said.
PROTESTS ON CAMPUSES
At DU, Students Against Discrimination demanded the arrest of those who attacked its members at Kuet within 24 hours.
They marched on campus and held a rally where Arif Sohel, convener of the student body, said, "The oppression we fought against has returned. The students and people who were martyred in the July uprising did not die so that we can witness such oppression on campuses. Anyone who tries to engage in criminal activities again will face resistance. We will not compromise with anyone. Some of the defeated fascists from August 5 are trying to rehabilitate themselves."
Hasnat Abdullah said an exhibition of the photos of the uprising and yesterday's attack will commence at 3:00pm at DU.
Chittagong University campus was tense as student groups came face-to-face.
A section of university students, mostly from Inqilab Manch, and JCD marched on campus.
Md Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, inspector of the Chittagong University police outpost, said, "To prevent any untoward incidents, police are on high alert."
At Jahangirnagar University, protesters marched around 8:00pm and held a brief rally.
At Rajshahi University, anti-discrimination students demonstrated until 9:30pm.
Coordinator Salahuddin Ammar said, "We don't want student politics. It destroys the campus environment."
There were protests at Jagannath University too.
[Our Chattogram staff, and RU, JU, and JnU correspondents contributed to this report]
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