A group of BCL leaders and activists of Rajshahi University have beaten up the university acting chief engineer and two other employees as the official reportedly refused to give extortion.
Witnesses said a group of 10 to 12 BCL members led by RU unit General Secretary Touhid-Al-Hossain Tuhin went to the office of Sirajum Munir, acting chief engineer of the university, for allegedly collecting extortion around 1:30pm.
They beat Munir's peon Sumon Ahmed as they could not find him there. Later, the BCL men went to the RU Vice-Chancellor where Munir was waiting to hold a meeting with the VC.
At one stage of altercation, the BCL members beat Munir up around 1:45pm, leaving him critically injured. On their way out of the VC's office, they also beat security guard Abul Kashem as he tried to stop them, witnesses added.
Later, Munir was admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital with severe injuries in his forehead, head and other parts of the body.
Wishing anonymity, several officials of RU engineer section told the Dhaka Tribune that BCL leader Tuhin demanded a handsome amount of extortion from Munir for bearing their expanses of the grand rally scheduled to be held on August 31 at Shuhrawardy Uddan organised by BCL central unit.
The BCL men beat Munir up as he refused to give them any money, they added.
Denying the allegation, Tuhin said: “The BCL members beat Munir up as he made derogatory remarks on Bangabandhu on Thursday afternoon, while they were waiting in front of the VC's room for holding a meeting.”
While contacted, Munir refused to make any comment over the incident. However, he denied the allegation of making derogatory remarks on Bangabandhu.
RU Vice-Chancellor Professor Muhammad Mizanuddin told Dhaka Tribune that stern action would be taken against the responsible BCL men.
