Political rivalries heat up at DU: JCD follows path of banned BCL: Shibir
Staff Reporter :
Islami Chhatra Shibir has alleged that Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) is following the path of the banned organisation Chhatra League (BCL) in light of the ongoing political situation in the country.
On Sunday (February 23) at 4:30 PM, during a press conference in front of Madhur Canteen at Dhaka University, Chhatra Shibir’s Central President, Zahidul Islam, made this statement.
In a written statement, he expressed concerns that the aspirations surrounding student politics are being tarnished due to the dominance, extortion, occupation, tagging, and blame-shifting culture of certain student organisations.
He remarked, “Even though the banned Chhatra League has been expelled from Bangladesh, unfortunately, we are witnessing their ally, Chhatra Dal, treading the same path.”
He further alleged that Chhatra Dal is attempting to suppress Chhatra Shibir and other student organizations across various campuses unjustly.
“Not only that, but they are also attacking students in a terroristic manner and then deliberately blaming Chhatra Shibir for their actions, a practice once popularized by the now-banned Chhatra League,” he added.
Referring to social media activities, Zahidul Islam claimed that Chhatra Dal members have been instigating armed attacks against Shibir activists.
“We can see the reflection of the banned Chhatra League within Chhatra Dal,” he remarked.
The Chhatra Shibir leader pointed to widespread extortion and territorial control, stating that criminal activities remain unchanged despite political shifts.
He cited an incident in Jessore’s Chachra on February 22, where Chhatra Dal members allegedly gouged out the eyes of a fish trader named Samrat for refusing to pay extortion money.
Additionally, he mentioned that in Gazipur, extortion was openly announced through loudspeakers in broad daylight. “Such incidents are being reported in the media daily,” he stated.
Addressing recent clashes in various campuses, Zahidul Islam claimed that the violence at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Sylhet MC College, and the attack on February 20 at Tamirul Millat Kamil Madrasah were part of an emerging “neo-fascist” trend of a student organization.
He accused Chhatra Dal of shielding their unruly activists rather than taking disciplinary action against them.
“On one hand, they falsely blame Chhatra Shibir to cover up the real incidents, while on the other, Jubo Dal exposes their own involvement by expelling identified criminals,” he argued.
The Shibir president also criticized some media outlets for biased reporting.
He cited an incident on January 1 in Patharghata, Barguna, where a Jubo Dal activist was allegedly murdered by Chhatra League members over prior enmity.
However, he claimed that a national news platform blamed Chhatra Shibir without verifying facts.