DU hall VP, GS among six injured in JCD attack over provost’s resignation

At least six students, including the vice-president (VP) and general secretary (GS) of Fazlul Huq hall at Dhaka University (DU) were injured in an attack carried out by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists at around 3am on Monday, after students locked the provost of the hall over alleged harassment of a student in his office.

The attack took place during a standoff between protesting students and university authorities over demands for the resignation of the hall provost.

Among those injured were hall union VP Abu Naim, GS Imam-ul Hasan, Amar Ekushey Hall assistant general secretary (AGS) Obaidur Rahman Hasib, Mujib Hall GS Ahmed Al Sabah, Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall union reading secretary Tarek Bhuiyan and resident student Tanvir.

The injured students were later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by ambulance.

According to the victims, the attack was led by Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall JCD convener Abid Hasnat and Dr Mohammad Shahidullah Muslim Hall JCD member secretary Junaid Abrar, along with several other JCD activists.

The confrontation followed a protest that began at around 8pm on Sunday after resident student Mohammad Ibrahim, from the 2020-21 academic session, was allegedly subjected to physical and mental harassment for about one and a half hours inside the provost’s office.

Students said Ibrahim was summoned to the office after sharing a Facebook post by a non-resident student criticising the provost.

They demanded access to CCTV footage of the incident but alleged that the provost repeatedly delayed showing the footage.

Students locked the provost and assistant proctors inside the hall office at around 9pm, while a group continued protesting outside. The hall union VP and several DU Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) representatives held discussions with teachers inside.

DU Proctor Professor Dr Israfil Prang arrived around 11pm to join the discussions, but the talks failed to produce a decision. At around 1:30am on Monday, the university’s two pro-vice-chancellors arrived and held a closed-door meeting with the protesting students for nearly an hour, but no resolution was reached.

The situation became tense when some JCD activists entered the hall office, leading to several rounds of physical altercations. The two pro-vice-chancellors left at around 2:40am as the situation deteriorated, escorted by a group of JCD activists.

After their departure, members of the proctorial body attempted to take the confined provost out of the hall, but students blocked their way.

At around 3am, JCD leaders returned in a procession led by Shahidullah Hall JCD member secretary Junaid Abrar. The group chanted slogans against Shibir, including “Shibir and education cannot go together” etc.

They launched repeated attacks on the protesters, including the hall union VP and GS. They escorted the provost out of the hall.

DU JCD organising secretary Nur Alam Bhuiyan Emon and office secretary Mollik Wasi Uddin Tami led the group.

Journalists alleged that JCD activists obstructed them from recording the incident. Mollik denied the allegation, saying JCD leaders saw videos showing Shibir leaders from other halls had arrived at the scene and therefore JCD activists also came.

Asked about taking the provost out, Mollik said, “We did not go inside. Hall JCD leaders and activists went there.”

Ibrahim, the student who alleged he was harassed inside the provost’s office, said students demanded CCTV footage because it would show how the provost allegedly closed the door and harassed him.

“Even after 2am, the footage was not shown,” he said.

He said authorities initially allowed only him, hall union representatives and several DUCSU representatives to view the footage. Teachers repeatedly delayed the matter, saying they needed to discuss it.

Ibrahim said the incident eventually became a typical JCD-Shibir conflict, with both sides bringing supporters from other halls.

“In the meantime, I am being denied justice,” he said.

He further alleged that several members of the committee, led by FH Hall JCD convener Abid Hasnat, escorted the accused provost out under their protection.

“I wanted justice and wanted to see the CCTV footage. But I still have not received justice”, he said.

The university proctor said Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ABM Obaidul Islam had formed a five-member investigation committee headed by the proctor.

“Necessary measures will be taken after investigating the overall matter,” he said.