JCD expels two leaders, one activist over attack on journalists, students at RU

The Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Monday expelled two leaders and an activists of its Rajshahi University unit over an attack on students and journalists that left 10 injured.

The expelled are RU JCD vice-president Ahsan Habib, joint general secretary Hasib Hasan and activist Bishal Chakraborty.

In a statement, the JCD said the decision was approved by its president Rakibul Islam Rabik and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.

JCD central committee office secretary Md Jahangir Alam issued the statement.

Earlier on Sunday night, leaders and activists of the RU unit of Chhatra Dal swooped on a gathering with locally-made weapons, leaving at least 10 people injured, including four journalists who sustained serious injuries.

The Rajshahi University administration on Monday filed a case against unidentified accused over the attack on journalists on campus.

Monir Hossain, deputy registrar of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall, filed the case with Motihar Police Station.

However, journalists at the university expressed anger over the filing of a case against unidentified accused, saying the attackers had been identified.

They also issued an ultimatum: arrest the attackers by 7pm.

A five-member committee was formed by the university administration to investigate the attack.

Meanwhile, the JCD also formed a two-member committee for the same purpose.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) strongly condemned and expressed deep concern over the armed attack and death threats against media workers at RU.

In a statement, it called on the leadership of the ruling BNP and the opposition Jamaat-e-Islami to undertake fundamental reforms and effective initiatives for “self-correction within their respective parties and affiliated organisations to end the violent struggle for asserting authority”.

The Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM) also strongly condemned the attack, urging the RU administration and law enforcement agencies to ensure a prompt and impartial investigation and to identify those responsible using video footage, witness testimony and other available evidence.