Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday laid siege to the administrative office of Chittagong University and confined the vice-chancellor for two and a half hours, demanding removal of the proctor and immediate arrest of the killers of fellow activist Tapos Sarkar.
Under the banner of Choose Friend with Care, a faction of CU Chhatra League unit led by Sumon Mamun also vandalised windows of the ground floor of Dr AR Mallik Bhaban and pelted stones at VC Professor Anwarul Azim Arif’s office during the demonstration.
The VC was freed around 4:30pm following assurance that Proctor Siraj Ud Dowla would be removed within two days.
He, however, later told journalists that as it was an official post, steps against the proctor would be taken after investigation.
Chhatra League leader Sumon Mamun said they had issued an ultimatum for realising their demands but the VC did not pay any heed and that is why they locked the CU administrative building.
Tapos Sarker, a first year student of Sangskrit, was shot dead by his rivals at Shah Amanat dormitory during a clash between two factions of Chhatra League, the student wing of the ruling Awami League, on Sunday.
Following the killing, police raided Shahjalal dormitory and recovered a light gun and five rounds of bullets and a number of sharp weapons. “We went to Hathazari police station to lodge a murder case on Sunday night accusing 27 men but police did not take our case for unknown reasons,” Sumon said.
In the morning, some 60-70 activists of Choose Friend with Care staged a sit-in before the CU administrative building demanding arrest of Tapos’ killers and removal of the proctor.
The Chhatra League men kept the CU main gate under lock and key for half an hour halting the traffic movement.
Chittagong Metropolitan Police (North)’s Additional Superintendent Mohammed Shahidullah said they brought the situation under control after convincing the students of looking into their demands.
Officer-in-Charge of of Hathazari police station Ismail Hossain said they had filed a case against 55 persons, including five Chhatra League men, in connection with the arms recovered from the Shahjalal Hall yesterday.