Despite eyewitness claims that demonstrators responsible for arson and vandalism near Titumir College Monday night were disgruntled Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists, police said they suspected “outsiders” of trying to foment anarchy.
Banani police yesterday filed a case against 150 to 200 unnamed people for the rampage at the college.
“We are investigating the matter and the real perpetrators will be identified irrespective of their political affiliation,” said Officer-in-Charge of Banani police station Bhuiyan Mahbub Hossain.
Dissatisfaction over the naming of the college BCL unit’s new president and secretary by the Chhatra League central committee set off a wave of violence on Monday and Tuesday that saw the destruction of cars and the burning of tires in the Mohakhali area of the capital.
Sumon, a BCL activists and a student of Bangla department, described the mayhem as a protest by BCL activists against the central committee’s decision to name Kazi Mirazul Islam as president and Manik Hossain as secretary of the college unit.
BCL Central Committee Secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam said his committee would stand behind its appointees even if some members were unhappy about it.
He threatened “organisational action” against rampaging BCL activists if they did not stand down, adding that he had called on police to quell the violence.
Academic activities resumed yesterday as students returned to the campus, Titumir College Principal Dilara Hafiz said.
