A student of the Department of Philosophy at Dhaka University (DU) was allegedly beaten several times and later handed over to Shahbagh Police Station on accusations of having links with the banned organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
The victim, Rahid Khan Pavel, a student from the 2020–21 academic session, is currently receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital under police supervision.
The incident reportedly took place during the pre-dawn meal (sehri) early Monday morning.
Those accused in the incident include Hasibul Islam, an organisational secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and a student of the Sociology Department at DU; Sardar Nadim Mahmud Shuvo, a Philosophy Department student from the same session; and Mohammad Saifullah, organisational secretary of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti. All the victim and the accused are students from the same academic batch. Nadim previously served as a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and later joined the Democratic Student Council.
According to eyewitness students, Pavel went to the BUET canteen to have sehri when several student activists, including Hasibul Islam, called him over and engaged him in an argument over issues such as the alleged rehabilitation of Chhatra League, an iftar party reportedly organised on campus with BCL backing, and the recent playing of the March 7 speech on campus.
The argument reportedly escalated into a scuffle.
Later, Pavel was taken from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) campus to the Dhaka University campus, where he was allegedly beaten multiple times before being handed over to Shahbagh Police Station. Police later admitted him to the hospital.
Highlighting the incident, Philosophy student Aditi Islam wrote on Facebook demanding justice for the attack on Rahid Khan Pavel, saying, “I demand justice for the assault on Philosophy Department student Rahid Khan Pavel after labelling him as Chhatra League. Those responsible for this terrorist act must be punished.”
She further alleged that three identified individuals involved in the attack are Sardar Nadim Mahmud Shuvo, Hasib Al Islam and Saifullah. According to her, they are affiliated with Chhatra Shakti and are attempting to legitimise the attack by presenting themselves as “some general students.”
“Raise your voice against this rising campus violence and resist such terrorist activities carried out in the name of politics,” she wrote.
Following the incident, Saifullah posted on Facebook, “We have caught a Chhatra League member on campus and are taking him to Shahbagh Police Station. There will be no compromise on the Chhatra League issue.”
Attempts to contact Saifullah for comment were unsuccessful. But he said to another journalist that when they went to the BUET canteen for sehri, Hasib called Pavel after noticing him. They then became involved in an argument over the issue of rehabilitating Chhatra League.
According to him, Pavel made a phone call during the argument, which was followed by a physical altercation with Hasib and Shuvo.
He claimed he was still inside the BUET canteen at that time and later saw that Pavel had been beaten when he reached Shahbagh Police Station.
“Pavel is actually a very good friend of mine,” Saifullah added.
Attempts to contact Hasib Al Islam for comment were unsuccessful.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shahbagh Police Station Moniruzzaman said Pavel is currently undergoing treatment and that further decisions regarding the matter will be taken later.