At least four journalists were seriously injured when leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the ruling BNP, allegedly attacked reporters and students with locally made weapons at Rajshahi University on Sunday night.
The violence broke out around 8:30 p.m. in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall. At least 10 people were reported injured, with accounts varying on the total number of journalists hurt.
The four seriously injured journalists were identified as Arifuzzaman Korban, Rajshahi University correspondent for bdnews24.com; Zahidul Islam of Agamir Shomoy; Nur Ahsan Mridul, The Daily Star’s university correspondent and president of the Rajshahi University Reporters Unity; and Mainul Islam Raju of the daily Samakal.
The four were initially taken to the university medical center. They were later transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for further treatment.
Witnesses said several Chhatra Dal leaders and activists gathered near the hall carrying weapons, including machetes, hockey sticks, metal pipes, rods and baseball bats.
Several university Chhatra Dal leaders were accused of taking part in the attack, including Vice Presidents Ahsan Habib and Shariful Islam, Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam Othis. Reports said about eight Chhatra Dal members were allegedly involved.
According to witnesses, the confrontation developed after Chhatra Dal leaders and activists marched from the university’s Transport Market area toward Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall.
The dispute had earlier escalated on social media.
Reports said the tension initially stemmed from comments on a Facebook post by Ahsan Habib concerning Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar.
Ahsan alleged that Rakibul, another student, had made abusive remarks about his mother and sister in the comments. Rakibul, in turn, alleged that Ahsan had threatened to assault him and demanded to know his location. Both later posted their accounts of the dispute on social media.
Ahsan and several Chhatra Dal activists later took position near the hall. Witnesses reported seeing baseball bats in the hands of some of them.
The situation escalated further after Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall Students’ Union General Secretary Ariful Islam criticized the Chhatra Dal activists in a Facebook post and accused them of bringing weapons onto the campus.
Witnesses said journalists approached the group to document the situation after seeing activists with weapons.
Samakal correspondent Mainul Islam Raju was allegedly beaten with sticks while trying to record the scene. Another journalist was allegedly confronted as activists attempted to seize his phone.
Arifuzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com was then assaulted, according to witness accounts.
University Proctor Mahbubur Rahman reportedly moved some journalists inside the hall and locked the entrance in an attempt to protect them.
More journalists arrived after hearing about the attacks. Witnesses said Chhatra Dal activists then assaulted Nur Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star and Zahidul Islam of Agamir Shomoy.
Zahidul suffered a head injury during the assault. Journalists who tried to intervene were also threatened, according to reports.
Proctor Mahbubur Rahman acknowledged that the university administration had failed to bring the situation under control.
“We failed. We could not control the situation,” he said, adding that university authorities had contacted police.
He also claimed that police left the scene out of fear.
Rajshahi University Chhatra Dal President Sultan Ahmed Rahi said he had informed the organization’s central leadership about the incident.
He said action would be taken quickly against those responsible.
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