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50 wounded as JCD groups clash at RU

VC accused of aiding pro-Shibir JCD group, cops rough up journalist

ANWAR ALI and ABU KALAM, Rajshahi
At least 50 people including a journalist were injured and six teachers assaulted in clashes between two factions of pro-BNP Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) over domination of the workers' council on Rajshahi University (RU) campus yesterday.
The trouble started at around 11:00am when the faction led by former RU general secretary Aslam Reza protested the JCD central committee leaders calling the
expelled JCD leader Rafique-ul Islam onto the stage while the council was underway at Kazi Nazrul Islam auditorium.
Rafique, ex-organising secretary of the JCD's RU unit, who leads the rival group, was expelled last year on charges of being addicted to drug and his involvement in violence.
"We cannot allow a terrorist and pro-Islami Chhatra Shibir leader like Rafique in our organisation," shouted a JCD activist at the central leaders.
The council plunged into chaos
as the feuding factions grappled with each other, only to be driven out of the auditorium by the central leaders. The rowdy activists picked up from where they had left and fought one another with brickbats and sticks at several points on the campus and blasted two crackers before the police.
The auditorium, RU Press Club, makeshift stores around the scene of the trouble and a motorcycle were badly damaged during the sporadic violence. JCD's former RU unit vice-president Abdus Samad Pintu, Suhrawardi Hall unit Joint Convenor Sairaj and members Malek, Sumon, Jewel, Selim, Samu, Mamun and Al Ameen Siddik and Kabir of Aslam-led faction, and Masud Rana, Akram Hossain, Miran, Shahin and Babu of Rafique-led group were critically wounded.
The Rajshahi University correspondent of Daily Naya Diganta, Sardar Anisur Rahman, also received serious wounds when the police threw him on the ground and roughed him up as he was taking snaps of the clashes that continued for over one and half an hours. The injured were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police with reinforcements from Armed Police Battalion clubbed the feuding groups after noon to bring the situation under control.
Police arrested 18-year-old youth Sirajul Islam of Meherchandi area in the northwestern city on the campus with a bag loaded with six crackers on him.
Sirajul told the police in presence of journalists that Rafique's men gave him the crackers and asked him to use those "at the right time". He also named about half a dozen people who used to train him in exploding the homemade bombs.
"We will investigate Sirajul's version and arrest the people responsible," said Akram Hossain, officer-in-charge of Motihar Police Station.
About the police attack on journalist Anis, RMP Deputy Commissioner Lokman Hakim said action would be taken "if our investigations find any policeman guilty".
The Aslam-led faction termed the incident "pre-planned" and blamed the violence on the university authorities.
"Our opponents (Rafique group) swooped on us along with a huge number of outsiders," he said and alleged that the "pro-Jamaat-e-Islami" vice-chancellor (VC) was aiding and abetting the hoodlums on the campus for personal and political ends.
Aslam's loyalists, however, assaulted six teachers for their "close ties with administration", swore at them and chased them out of the auditorium premises, where the council was being held, when they had gone there to enquire about the violence.
The teachers who came under the wrath are Proctor Prof Shamsul Alam, assistant proctors Dr Nizam Uddin, Prof Mainuddin, Dr Khondoker Imamul Haque and Dr Mokhlesur Rahman, and Students Affairs Adviser Prof Zahid Hasan Milky.
Talking to reporters, Aslam demanded removal of Vicechancellor Prof Faisul Islam Faruki. He said the authorities helped Rafique's group to damage JCD's image and allow the Islamic Chhatra Shibir to have an upper hand on the campus.
"We asked the authorities many times not to allow terrorists and expelled leaders on the campus. But they never listened to us," Aslam complained.
Intelligence sources confirmed Rafique met the vice-chancellor at his residence even on Wednesday evening.
The vice-chancellor could not be reached for comment, but the students affairs adviser said the allegations against the authorities were not true.
Rafique denied the charges and slapped similar allegations on Aslam.
The council was, however, held amid tight security after a two-hour break and many injured JCD leaders attended it with bandages on their heads and hands.
Central JCD Organising Secretary and Chief Guest at the council Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Jewel attributed the violence to internal feuds. "Both groups are fighting for leadership. We will try to declare the RU committee within a month," he said.
Rajshahi Divisional Assistant Organising Secretary Mahamud-unnabi Swapan chaired the council, while assistant joint secretaries Abu Bakar Siddique and Abdul Motin, among others, attended it.