RU BCL men beat up cultural activist

A group of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists of Rajshahi University yesterday beat up a cultural activist only 16 days after the attack on former president of RU Kendrio Sangskritik Jote Basudev Roy, who is still recovering in hospital.

Porag Saklaine, a third-year student of economics and activist of cultural organisation "S", was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) unconscious and with head injuries.

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He did not regain consciousness in about three hours till 8:10pm, Dr Lutfor Rahaman, duty doctor of RMCH, told The Daily Star. The doctor said he might have suffered a severe brain haemorrhage.

Witnesses said four to five BCL men led by activist Shariful Haque Piyas severely beat up Porag with sticks behind Kazi Nazrul Islam Auditorium after calling him in from a meeting of "Icche", a voluntary organisation, at 5:30pm.

At one stage, he ran into RU Central Students Union (Rucsu) building, where Rajshahi University Drama Association (Ruda) was holding a meeting, and collapsed. Icche and Ruda activists took him to RU Medical Centre at 6:00pm and later to RMCH.

 "Porag was beaten up because he requested Piyas not to stalk the former's girlfriend," a close friend of Porag told The Daily Star seeking anonymity.

Porag, his girlfriend, and Piyas are classmates.

Piyas admitted to beating him up but said he did so because "Porag's girlfriend told my mother that I was a drug addict". She told the "lie" on the advice of Porag, he added.

Debosri Mondal, acting president of RU Kendrio Sangskritik Jote, said, "We on behalf of Icche, 'S' and Kendrio Sangskritik Jote will lodge a written complaint with the proctor."

Proctor Prof Tarikul Hasan said he would act on a written complaint.

Police knew the incident but no case was filed.

On June 9, Basudev, was beaten up by BCL leader Saddam Hossain Sajib. RU suspended Sajib on June 18.