A dispute over demands for the resignation of the provost of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall at Dhaka University, following allegations of harassment by a resident student, escalated into a clash between activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir early Monday.
The altercation took place Sunday night as leaders and activists of the two organisations gathered outside the hall office amid tensions over students’ demands for action against the provost.
Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall Union General Secretary Md Emamul Hasan was injured in the incident, according to students.
The clash came hours after students, along with leaders of different hall unions and Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu), confined the provost to his office and demanded his resignation.
The protest began around 9pm, when students locked the provost inside his office.
Ducsu Social Welfare Secretary AB Zubair and Literature and Culture Secretary Mussadiq Ali Ibne Mohammad, along with leaders of different hall unions, joined the protest. Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall Union Vice-President Abu Nayeem and General Secretary Emamul Hasan were also present.
The allegations were raised by Md Ibrahim, a student of the 2020-21 academic session in the Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Ibrahim alleged that he was summoned to the provost’s office after sharing a social media post about problems at the hall. He claimed that his mobile phone was taken away, he was confined to the office and pressured to sign a written statement and keep the matter confidential.
The provost denied the allegations when contacted on Sunday.
As the protest continued, Shibir leaders from different residential halls gathered outside the hall office. JCD leaders and activists also gathered there, saying action should be taken against the provost following an investigation.
JCD leader and Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit Convener Thanbir Al Hadi Mayed alleged in a Facebook post that Shibir was trying to turn the students’ movement into a confrontation by bringing activists from different halls.
“Students had been protesting from the beginning, and JCD activists were also with them,” he wrote, alleging that Shibir was using Ducsu to bring activists from different halls and prepare for “another mob”.
Ducsu Literature and Culture Secretary Mussadiq Ali Ibn Mohammad, meanwhile, accused JCD activists of attacking students and said the hall union’s vice-president and general secretary were injured.
He questioned why student organisations were becoming involved in an issue that, according to him, should have been resolved through discussions between student representatives and the university administration.
A video circulated on social media showed Amar Ekushey Hall Union General Secretary Obaidur Rahman Hasib, also a Shibir leader, carrying several pairs of shoes in a small sack while entering Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall. Students later confronted him and questioned his presence there. The purpose of carrying the shoes could not be independently verified.
Ibrahim expressed concern that the JCD-Shibir dispute could overshadow his demand for justice.
He said students had initially demanded access to CCTV footage of the incident, but it had not been shown even after 2am.
“I am being deprived of justice because of this,” he said, alleging that both sides had brought people from other halls.
Around 3am, members of the proctorial team entered the hall and escorted the provost out of the hall office.
The university authorities have yet to announce any decision regarding the allegations against the provost.
