Attack on RU journalists: No arrests in 7 days despite attackers being identified

Police have yet to arrest anyone seven days after leaders and activists of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) attacked journalists at Rajshahi University (RU), despite video footage, photographs and other evidence reportedly identifying those involved.

The delay has raised questions about the progress of the police investigation, particularly after a university probe recommended disciplinary action against several alleged attackers. Journalists injured in the incident have also alleged that they are being threatened both online and offline, raising further concerns about their safety on campus.

Mir Qadir, president of the Rajshahi University Journalists’ Association (RUJA), accused the university administration of shielding the alleged attackers.

“The perpetrators have been identified, yet the administration is not arresting them. They are not being apprehended because they belong to the student organisation affiliated with the ruling party. The administration is clearly taking the side of the perpetrators,” he said.

“If they are not arrested very soon, university journalists and students will be forced to launch larger protests,” he added.

Nur Ahsan Mridul, president of RU Reporters’ Unity and one of the journalists injured in the attack, said the alleged attackers had threatened them both online and offline, including threats to kill or assault them if they encountered them outside the campus.

“It is natural to feel unsafe in such circumstances. But the silence of the police and university administration on the matter is making us even more concerned,” he told Daily Waadaa.

Mridul said he feared he would have to spend the remaining one and a half years of his university life under threat. He added that other victims might also continue to fear further attacks, given that they had already been assaulted.

Md Shamsul Alam, an investigation officer at Motihar Police Station, told Waadaa that the case remained under investigation and was being handled by Mostak, the investigation officer at the Kajla police outpost.

Mostak said police had requested the victims’ medical certificates and would collect further evidence after receiving them.

“The investigation is still ongoing. After collecting the certificates, we will need to gather witness statements and other evidence. The entire process is taking some time. Appropriate legal action will be taken once the investigation is complete,” he said.

RU Vice-Chancellor (VC) Professor Faridul Islam said the police investigation was ongoing and the university had scheduled a Syndicate meeting to address the incident.

“I had planned to call the meeting after the university holidays, but I have scheduled it earlier so that the issue can be resolved as soon as possible. I have also spoken to the proctor about the arrests,” he said.

On October 4, leaders and activists of the RU JCD unit attacked journalists and students with locally made weapons, leaving at least 10 people injured, including four journalists who sustained serious injuries.

The four journalists were Zahidul Islam of Agamir Shomoy, Mainul Islam Raju of Samakal, Arif Uz Zaman Korban of bdnews24.com and Nur Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star.

On October 5, the university filed a case through the hall administration against unidentified individuals, despite reports that the alleged attackers had already been identified. It also formed a five-member committee to investigate the incident and recommend action against those involved.

The committee submitted its findings to VC Professor Faridul Islam on October 9, recommending the temporary cancellation of the studentships of four individuals: JCD unit vice-president M Ahsan Habib, joint general secretary Hasibul Islam, activist Bishal Chakraborty and Ariful Islam, general secretary of the Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall student union.

It also recommended further investigation into four others and warnings for three individuals.

However, police have yet to report any arrests in the case.

An analysis of video footage, photographs and other evidence identified the Chhatra Dal leaders and activists involved in the attack as M Ahsan Habib, vice-president of the university unit; Bishal Chakraborty, a Chhatra Dal activist; Hasibul Islam, joint general secretary; Shahriar Alam Othi, assistant office secretary; Shariful Islam, vice-president; Takbir Ahmed Emon, vice-president; Syed Sajharul Islam, assistant general secretary; and Tanim Rahman, a Chhatra Dal activist.

Earlier, the central JCD expelled three activists from their organisational posts and primary membership over the incident and issued show-cause notices to six others.

University journalists and students of the Department of Mass Communication and Journalism have since held several programmes demanding the arrest and punishment of those involved.