Daily Star RU correspondent among 4 journalists injured in alleged Chhatra Dal attack

At least 10 people, including four journalists, were injured when leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal allegedly attacked reporters and students with locally made weapons at Rajshahi University on Sunday night.

The incident took place around 8:30pm in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall, according to witnesses and journalists present at the scene.

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The injured journalists include The Daily Star’s RU correspondent, also the president of Rajshahi University Reporters Unity Nur Ahsan Mridul; Zahidul Islam of the daily Agamir Shomoy, Arifuzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com and Mainul Islam Raju of the daily Samakal. The four were initially taken to the university medical centre for treatment, and later moved to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Witnesses said a group of RU Chhatra Dal leaders and activists marched from the university’s Transport Market area towards the hall around 8:00pm. They alleged that the group had come looking for Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall Union General Secretary Ariful Islam.

Several members of the group were seen carrying machetes, hockey sticks, pipes and bats, they said.

When Proctor Prof Mahbubur Rahman arrived at the scene, the Chhatra Dal activists hid the weapons, according to witnesses.

Later, after spotting the weapons again, the university correspondents of the daily Samakal and the daily Ajker Patrika moved forward to record videos. Witnesses said the Samakal reporter was then beaten with a stick, while an attempt was made to snatch the Ajker Patrika correspondent’s mobile phone.

The bdnews24.com correspondent was also assaulted, they said. The proctor then took the journalists inside the hall and shut the entrance.

As other reporters rushed to the site after learning of the attack, Mridul and Zahidul were also beaten, according to witnesses. Zahidul suffered a head injury.

Journalists who tried to protect their colleagues were also threatened with being “buried”, according to those present.

Witnesses identified RU Chhatra Dal Vice-President Ahsan Habib, Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam, Vice-President Shariful Islam and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam among those involved. They said at least 10 Chhatra Dal leaders and activists took part in the attack.

Over the incident, RU Chhatra Dal President Sultan Ahmed Rahi said he had informed the organisation’s central leadership. “Action will be taken against them quickly,” he said.

Chhatra Dal central General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said, “I have just learnt about the incident. I am trying to get the details. We will take action against those responsible.”

The proctor said the university authorities had failed to bring the situation under control. “We failed. We could not control the situation. We called the police, but the police fled in fear,” he said.

RU Pro-VC Prof Abdul Alim said the university authorities had learnt about the incident and were looking into it. “We will take necessary action after an investigation. We will not tolerate any criminal activities on campus. Those involved will be brought under the law,” he said.

The incident followed a dispute on Facebook involving Chhatra Dal leader M Ahsan Habib and Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (Rucsu) Assistant Cultural Secretary Rakibul Islam over a post concerning Rucsu General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar.

Habib alleged that Rakibul used "abusive language about his mother and sister" in a comment on the post. Rakibul, on the other hand, claimed Habib threatened to assault him and asked for his location. Both later posted their accounts on social media.

Yesterday, Rakibul stayed in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Habib later arrived there with several Chhatra Dal leaders and activists, some of whom were seen carrying bats, and announced that they would remain there until 10:00pm.

Hall Union General Secretary Ariful later criticised Chhatra Dal in a Facebook post, accusing its members of carrying locally made weapons and engaging in violence on campus. Witnesses alleged that Chhatra Dal leaders and activists returned to the hall area on Sunday night carrying weapons before the attack on the journalists.