Journalists from the Dhaka University Journalists Association (DUJA) were allegedly harassed by Chhatra Dal activists during a visit to Dr. Muhammad Shahidullah Hall at the University of Dhaka early Tuesday, amid tensions between Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir over hall graffiti.
The incident stemmed from a series of wall writings at Shahidullah Hall. On Tuesday, Chhatra Dal activists reportedly wrote “Gupto = Shibir” on a hall wall. In retaliation, Chhatra Shibir activists wrote “Ramdadol” on Wednesday, escalating tensions between the two groups. The situation triggered a verbal altercation on the hall premises. Although the hall provost was absent at the time, house tutors intervened and brought the situation under temporary control.
Later, when a DUJA delegation visited the hall to gather information on the incident, a group of Chhatra Dal activists allegedly harassed the journalists. No injuries were reported.
The journalists involved included correspondents from The Daily Kaler Kantho, United News of Bangladesh (UNB), and The Daily Observer.
A Daily Observer correspondent told Dhaka Tribune: “We went to the house tutors and introduced ourselves. Then someone from the side said, ‘This is a hall issue, why are there outsiders?’ Then some Chhatra Dal activists came charging at us.”
Following the earlier graffiti dispute, hall authorities decided that both sets of wall writings would remain for the time being, with a final decision to be taken later. Shahidullah Hall house tutor Mizanur Rahman told Dhaka Tribune: “The provost sir will review the wall writings tomorrow and make a decision.”
Commenting on the alleged harassment, he said: “There was a misunderstanding. The journalists came and introduced themselves to us. Students at the back did not recognize them and may have shouted.”
Shahidullah Hall Chhatra Dal member secretary Zunayed Abrar told Dhaka Tribune: “We asked the hall provost to come and look at the graffiti. If our graffiti incites any violence, we will remove it. But we are confident that our graffiti is not banned under the laws of the university or Bangladesh.”
Riyadus Salehin, a hall union member at Shahidullah Hall Students’ Union, said the “Ramdadol” graffiti was written by the union’s Outdoor Sports Secretary. He added that the hall union had requested removal of both sets of graffiti “to avoid further altercation.”
