Bangaladesh Chhatra League and Islami Chhatra Shibir, the two student wings of ruling Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami respectively, are now flexing their muscles over establishing supremacy over each other on the Rajshahi University campus.
Shibir reigned supreme in the university until it was driven out of the campus following the death of BCL activist Faruk Hossain in a violent clash between BCL and Shibir activists on February 8, 2010.
Since then BCL, with the assistance of law enforcers, has resisted Shibir’s attempt to enter the campus. But recently Shibir has built a strong organisational base in the areas around the university as an attempt to make forced entry into the campus to restore its supremacy.
Exasperated by being warded off the campus for three years and seven months Shibir activists have now become desperate to regain control over the university.
On Thursday night a group of Shibir men hacked BCL General Secretary of the university Touhid-al-Hossain Tuhin who is now fighting for his life in the Dhaka Pangu Hospital. The Shibir men also severed the tendons in Tuhin’s legs and right hand.
The incident was a follow-up to a prior clash between BCL and Chhatra Shibir. BCL activists on Wednesday stabbed Shibir’s Ziaur Rahman Hall unit President Jahurul Haque as he was entering the campus along with his unit president on a motorbike.
BCL men also beat up Shibir activist Muhammad Bin Kashem the same day on the campus. Some BCL leaders said the assaults on the Shibir men were led by Tuhin.
After the formation of the BCL’s new committee on July 20 this year, with Mizanur Rahman Rana and Tuhin as president and general secretary respectively, Tuhin was trying to take control of the university’s student politics. A number of BCL leaders, seeking anonymity, said Tuhin was made BCL RU unit secretary as he was hard on the Shibir. Shibir stabbed Tuhin as he was ruthless in his attempts at not letting them enter the campus.
Earlier on October 2 last year BCL, with the assistance of law enforcers, foiled Shibir’s attempt to enter the campus.
Tension is running high in the university. Some BCL leaders, wishing anonymity, said they were apprehending violent clashes between the two organisations at any time. BCL RU unit President Mizanur Rahman Rana, however, vowed to resist the anti-liberation forces.
Shibir RU unit General Secretary Saifuddin Eyahiya blamed the BCL for the attacks on them and said they wanted to stay on the campus peacefully.
RU Proctor Tariqul Hasan told the Dhaka Tribune that additional police were deployed on the campus to avert any untoward incidents.
