Zubair Ahmed, a Bangladesh Chhatra League activist who was killed by a rival group of the ruling Awami League’s student front at Jahangirnagar University, was a victim of power politics and a factional rivalry, according JU Chhatra League sources.
Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, the victim’s friend Subol Devnath said Zubair had animosity with members of another Chhatra League faction as he used to torture his fellow mates loyal to the faction, while he was in a powerful position at his dormitory, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall.
“Anger of Zubair’s fellow mates grew as he used to torture them both physically and mentally,” said Subol, former vice president of the JU unit of Chhatra League.
“As the then Chhatra League committee at the university was dissolved centering on a bloody clash between the two factions on July 5, 2010, Zubair became inactive in politics and started to concentrate on his studies.
“Taking advantage of Zubair being inactive, his rival faction was looking for a chance to take revenge on him.”
Also Read- Five Chhatra League men to die for killing JU student Zubair
On January 8, 2012, when the honours final year student of English had gone out after attending the last written test of his bachelor program, members of the opposing faction swooped on Zubair and stabbed him near the university’s Shaheed Minar.
The attackers took him to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar as he lost his consciousness, said a Chhatra League activist who was present on the spot.
As his condition deteriorated, on-duty doctors referred him to Dhaka United Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
However, following his murder, a section of teachers and students at the university accused the then Vice Chancellor Prof Shariff Enamul Kabir of patronizing the attack, while the factional rivalry played a vital part.
Ryhan Rhyne, an assistant professor of philosophy, alleged that despite being the VC, Shariff used to interfere in student politics and patronize what was called VC League, a Chhatra League faction loyal to him.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
