CU shuttle train master released after 4-hr of abduction, communication halted

Chittagong Bureau :
A driver of a Chittagong University (CU) shuttle train, who was abducted allegedly by activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Wednesday morning, was released in the city’s Muradpur area after four hours of his abduction.
The rescued man was identified as M Yousuf Chowdhury, 45.
The driver was released from the city’s Muradpur intersection at about 11:15am, said Abu Jafar M Omar Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Panchlaish Police Station.
Quoting students of the university, police said a group of activists of Chittagong University unit of BCL picked up the driver, Yousuf, from Soloshohor no-2 gate area at 7:45 am stooping the university-bound running train. The driver was abducted protesting assault on a BCL leader by a rival fraction on the university campus recently, said the students.
Train services between the city and the campus remained suspended after the abduction.
University Proctor Sirajuddoullah said some unidentified people had kidnapped the operator of the shuttle train, but claimed he was not aware of details.
Locals allege blockade supporters abducted the operator but the BCL university unit denied the allegation.
“We are observing the blockade in a peaceful manner to protest harassment of Awami League central sub-committee deputy secretary Nasir Haider Babul,” the university’s unit’s BCL leader SM Alauddin said.
However, CU BCL’s organising secretary SM Ariful Islam held the other faction that observed blockade responsible for the abduction.
Shuttle train operators were abducted many times during blockades by student organisations. Neither the railway nor the university authorities could ascertain the identity of the kidnappers.