Eight student organizations of Rajshahi University (RU) issued a statement on Tuesday holding Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, responsible for Saturday's clash between students of the university and locals.
According to the statement, when the clash started between Chhatra League members and the locals, organization activists from different dorms started gathering at Binodpur Gate with locally made weapons. Ordinary students went to the spot when the clash of Chhatra League activists was publicized as a clash between ordinary students and local businessmen.
The eight organizations that gave a statement are Bangladesh Students Union, Biplobi Chhatra Maitri, Samajtantrik Students' Front, Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad, Biplobi Chhatra Jubo Andolan, Student Federation of Bangladesh, Nagrik Chhatra Oikya and Samajtantrik Chhatra Front (Rajshahi University branch).
On the other hand, local Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League leaders along with some businessmen of Binodpur along with metropolitan Chhatra League leader Anik Mahmud Bani attacked general university students. When local criminals set fire to the police box, some nearby shops were also set on fire, they said.
Regarding the inaction of the university administration, the statement said that even though the incident had escalated so far, no effective measure was taken by the university. At approximately 10:30pm that day, the vice-chancellor (VC) arrived at the scene and returned without resolving the situation. At this stage, the police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and bullets at students. As a result, many students were seriously injured.
The statement further said that students have been getting in trouble for a long time on and off campus, but the university administration has not taken any effective action. As a result, there was extreme insecurity and dissatisfaction among the students. As a result, on Sunday, the students together stood in front of the gate of the VC's residence and tried to press home their demands but the VC did not do anything.
The statement said that in an attempt to turn the peaceful movement of students into violence again, under the leadership of Mannujan Hall unit Chhatra League President Jannat Jana, dummies were set on fire on a railway track and the Chukullar Railway gate was blocked.
Six demands were placed in the statement. It includes immediately taking effective steps to ensure the safety of all students on and off campus, removal of the proctorial body that failed to ensure security and apology to the students by the vice-chancellor who failed to fulfil his duties, ensuring proper treatment of the injured students, stopping the encroachment of Chhatra League and “seat business” in halls and ensuring 100% occupancy by building a new hall, ensuring punishment of the guilty party through a fair investigation of the case, ensuring that general students and public are not harassed in the name of litigation and to mobilize Rajshahi University Students Association to ensure the representation of the students in realizing the logical demands of the students and in determining the policies of the university.
In this regard, the general secretary of RU Chhatra League, Faisal Ahmed Runu, said that a group is spreading misinformation about Chhatra League. Chhatra League has always been and will always be with the common students. Chhatra League leaders and activists went to support ordinary students that day. “But today this propaganda against is sad,” he added.
Mannujan Hall Chhatra League President Jannat Jana led the movement by setting fire to the Charukala railway line. Regarding the issue, Runu said that many ordinary students went to the movement, Jannat Jana, as a Chhatra League leader, went there, and later came back.
RU Chhatra League President Golam Kirbia denied the allegations and said that ordinary students know what role Chhatra League played that day. “We went to help them. We did not go to endanger them. But today, it is made out to be our fault. I think the eight organizations that have made statements are involved in this incident,” he added.