A faction of Bangladesh Chharta League in Chittagong University abducted a shuttle train driver and halted the train services on the university route for eight hours yesterday, following an attack on an Awami League leader.
However, the abducted locomotive master, Md Yusuf Chowdhury, was freed after three hours.
According to witnesses, Chhatra League activists led by Sumon Mamun, joint secretary of Chhatra League in CU, abducted Yusuf around 7am from Forest Gate area near Sholoshahar Railway Station.
When asked about what happened, Yusuf said: “A group of four-five men picked me up and blindfolded me. Then they took me to an unknown place by a CNG-run auto rickshaw.”
Police rescued the train driver from Muradpur intersection at 11am, said Yasin Faruk, OC of Government Railway Police.
The train service resumed at 4pm, with the train schedules on the CU route collapsed for the day, said Md Shahbuddin, station master at Sholoshahar Railway Station.
Protesting the attack on Nasir Haider Babul, assistant secretary of Awami League’s central sub-committee, the agitated Chhatra League activists also blocked university-bound buses, mini-buses and other transports at different points in Chittagong city to press home their eight-point demand, which included expulsion of those responsible for the attack.
The blockades caused immense suffering for the students who had exams and classes scheduled yesterday.
Several departments had to postpone their respective exams as many students failed to appear at the exams, according to campus sources.
Mohammad Niaj Morshed Ripon, member of exam committee at the International Relations Department, said a special exam for the first-year students had to be postponed due to the siuation.
When contacted, Mamun told Dhaka Tribune: “We gave enough time to the authority to take stern action against those who attacked Babul.
“We also demand immediate removal of CU Proctor Professor Siraj Ud Dowla as he failed to take necessary steps in due time,” he said, adding that they would continue the blockade until all their demand were met.
Professor Dowla said the university authority had informed the law enforcement agencies and asked to take legal steps against the miscreants who were trying to create anarchy on the campus.
“A probe committee has been formed to investigate Babul’s attack,” he said.