Shibir attacks BCL`s Victory Day rally in Chittagong College; 40 detained

An attack carried out by Islami Chhatra Shibir members on Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Victory Day rally ended in a clash between the two groups. The incident occurred around noon on Wednesday. Police fired several rounds in the air to bring the situation under control. Police, conducting drives in the afternoon, also detained at least 40 from the residential halls. Principal Jesmine Akter said she, teachers and other students attending a Victory Day programme in the auditorium had to remain inside during the clash. The authorities of the college closed all four residential halls indefinitely after the clash. The male students were asked to leave the halls before 8pm on Wednesday and the female students by 10am on Thursday. The principal also said a five-member committee was formed to investigate the incident. A group of youths vandalised the academic building and laboratory of Hajji Mohsin College on the opposite side of the street after the clash. Its Principal Anjan Nandi said the authorities closed the two residential halls of the college indefinitely after the attack. Shibir, the student front of Jamaat-e-Islami, has been controlling the two colleges situated on the two sides of the street. The other student organisations do not have notable activities in the residential halls of the colleges. Besides the authorities, only Shibir activists had been placing wreaths on the Shaheed Minar at the Chittagong Government College on occasions. Wednesday’s clash erupted after Chhatra League placed a wreath at the Shaheed Minar for the first time in years. Jamaat is the party that sided with Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh emerged victorious on Dec 16 that year. The principal also said a five-member committee was formed to investigate the incident. A group of youths vandalised the academic building and laboratory of Hajji Mohsin College on the opposite side of the street after the clash. Its Principal Anjan Nandi said the authorities closed the two residential halls of the college indefinitely after the attack. Shibir, the student front of Jamaat-e-Islami, has been controlling the two colleges situated on the two sides of the street. The other student organisations do not have notable activities in the residential halls of the colleges. Besides the authorities, only Shibir activists had been placing wreaths on the Shaheed Minar at the Chittagong Government College on occasions. Wednesday’s clash erupted after Chhatra League placed a wreath at the Shaheed Minar for the first time in years. Jamaat is the party that sided with Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War. Bangladesh emerged victorious on Dec 16 that year. Chawkbazar Police Station OC Aziz Uddin told bdnews24.com that the Shibir activists attacked the Chhatra League members while the latter were holding a rally after placing the wreath. Then the clash erupted. The rivals pelted brickbats at each other after a scuffle, witnesses said. A number of police and RAB personnel brought the situation under control. Police raided the college for hours in the afternoon. Chittagong Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner Debdas Bhattacharya said at least 40 suspected members of Shibir were detained. BCL’s Chittagong city unit General Secretary Nurul Azim alleged that police had remained silent during the clash. He blamed Shibir for the incident. No leader of Jamaat’s student front could be reached for a comment. –bdnews24.com