BCL activists assault Star's RU reporter

Some Chhatra League men brutally beat up the Rajshahi University correspondent of The Daily Star near the main entrance to the university yesterday while he was carrying out professional duties.

Arafat Rahaman, a second-year student of the mass communication and journalism department, came under attack while taking photographs of a bus vandalised by BCL men.

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He was undergoing treatment at the neurosurgery ward-8 of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

Talking to this correspondent, Arafat said he went to the area around 11:00am after hearing that some 25 BCL men were vandalising a bus of Desh Travels on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway.

As he started taking photographs with his mobile phone, Mahamudur Rahman Kanon, information and research secretary of RU BCL, flew into a rage and asked him why he was taking snaps.

Arafat, who was wearing his press card round his neck, replied he was discharging his professional duties.

All of a sudden, around 10 Chhatra League men led by RU unit Vice President Ahmed Sajib, Organising Secretary Abid Ahsan Labon and Law Affairs Secretary Saiful Islam Bijoy swooped on the journalist.

The attackers beat Arafat to the ground, leaving him badly injured. They also tried to snatch the reporter's phone, but he managed to hold on to it.

The journalist said he cried for help, but the policemen didn't come to his rescue.

Some cops on duty there sent him to RU medical centre after the BCL men had left the area. He was later shifted to the RMCH.

Registrar Rashik Alvi at the RMCH neurosurgery ward said the patient had injuries to his right eye, head and palm of his left hand. He was also suffering abdominal and chest pain.

“We gave treatment for injuries and advised a CT scan of his head be conducted,” he added.

Masud Rana, sales in-charge of Desh Travels in Rajshahi, said BCL leader Saiful Islam Bijoy was travelling to Rajshahi from Chittagong on the bus.

Saiful had an altercation with bus supervisor Manik after the latter asked him to stop smoking.

Passengers repeatedly complained about smoking on the bus, but Saiful didn't pay heed. Pressed by the passengers, Manik at one stage asked Bijoy to get down.

As the bus reached Chauddagram of Comilla, Saiful revealed his identity to the supervisor. Being afraid of consequences, he offered apology to the BCL leader, Masud told The Daily Star.

The BCL men beat up Manik and bus driver Khokon after the vehicle had reached near the main entrance to the university. They also damaged the windshield of the bus, he added.

Manik received primary treatment at the RMCH.

Witnesses said movement of traffic on this part of the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway almost came to a halt for around an hour because of the vandalism.

Contacted, BCL leader Ahmed Sajib said he went to the area on hearing that some students had an altercation with a bus supervisor. He claimed that he was not aware of the assault on the journalist.

Despite repeated attempts, this newspaper couldn't reach BCL leaders Abid and Saiful over the phone for comment.

Arafat last night filed a case with Motihar Police Station accusing BCL leaders Kanon, Sajib, Abid, Saiful and 8/10 unnamed others of attacking and injuring him, said Humayun Kabir, officer-in-charge of the police station.

Bus supervisor Manik lodged a written complaint with the police station saying that BCL men beat him and the driver and vandalised the vehicle, causing a damage worth about Tk 1 lakh. 

Meanwhile, Chhatra League central unit on its Facebook page last night posted a circular saying that the organisation suspended Mahamudur Rahman Kanon and Saiful Islam Bijoy for violating organisational discipline.

RU Proctor Shamsul Haq Azad, Prof Moshiur Rahman of journalism department and Student Affairs Advisor Mizanur Rahman visited Arafat at the hospital yesterday.

Rajshahi Union of Journalists, Rajshahi University Reporters Unity, RU Sangbadik Samity, Rajshahi University Press Club, Rajshahi University Sangskritik Jote, Chhatra Union, Chhatra Federation and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Press Club condemned the attack on the journalist and demanded punishment of the attackers.