At least 20 people, including 13 leaders and activists of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad (COP), were injured when members of the Chhatra League foiled a program organized in remembrance of Buet student Abrar Fahad in TSC area of Dhaka University on Friday.
When the injured went to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment, around 20 of its leaders and activists were detained by the Shahbag police, said COP President Bin Yamin Molla.
The arrestees include Dhaka University unit COP President Akhtar Hossain and General Secretary Akram Hossain.
Noor Mohammad, officer-in-charge (OC) of Shahbagh police station, said that many Chhatra League members were injured during an attack on the campus. He added that the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad members also engaged in a clash when they went to the hospital for treatment.
“After gathering information, police members detained some 15 people,” the OC added.
According to witnesses, after the event started at around 4pm, some people led by central unit Chhatra League Joint General Secretary Mahbub Khan arrived at the scene and asked whether the program organizers were from Dhaka University.
He also asked the university authorities to check their ID cards, and the Chhatra League men left the place following an argument.
Later, some Chhatra League activists came and vandalized chairs, and other equipment on the scene, tore off the posters and burned them.
In this regard, Mahbub Khan said: "Only the students of Dhaka University have the right to hold political programs on the campus, and Chhatra Odhikar Parishad members do not belong to the university.”
He also denied Chhatra League’s involvement in the attack.
In the evening, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad brought out a torch procession in the city in protest against the assault on its members.
Abrar, a second-year student of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Buet, was beaten to death by Chhatra League leaders at Sher-e-Bangla Hall in 2019. He was found dead on the hall's staircase in the early hours of October 7, after he was taken to room No 2011 the previous night.
On December 8 last year, a Dhaka court sentenced 20 BCL members to death and five others to life imprisonment for the murder.
