A Jahangirnagar University student has allegedly been tortured by some activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League  for not attending guest room and political programmes.  The victim, Sakibul Islam Farabbi, a student of the 49th batch of Statistics Department at the University and a resident of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall, gave a written complaint to the provost of the hall regarding the torture incident.  The incident took place last Friday (February 24) around 2 am at the university’s Rabindranath Tagore Hall. Also Read: 'Special exam' at JU: Opportunity turns to burden for students The accused BCL men are Junaid Hasan Rana of English Department, Naimul Islam Sagar of Pharmacy Department, Atiq Shahriar of History Department, Mohtashim Billah of Fine Arts Department, Utsa and Kabbo of Government and Politics Department, Junaid Ivan of Mathematics Department, Imran Mirza of Biochemistry and Bioscience Department and Saikat Islam of Physics Department. They are the students of the 48th batch of the University and followers of JU BCL unit president Akhtaruzzaman Shohel. They’re also residents of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore hall.  According to the written complaint, the BCL activists called the students of batch 49 of room no 216 to room no. 219 at 2 am on February 24. Later, the students were physically and mentally abused in various ways by the Chhatra League activists. The BCL men later locked the rooms of the students and forced them to spend the night in the guest room.  While talking to UNB, Farabbi said, “the BCL men asked me why I didn't attend the guest room and political programs? I said I was away for a departmental tour and was also preoccupied with my exams.” Later, the BCL men asked Farabbi to leave the hall.  “After they asked me to leave the hall, I said this hall was allocated in my name and I won’t leave.Then they asked me to undress. So when I refused to undress, they got angry and started beating me,” Farabi said.  “My friends came from the next room and took me away after hearing my screams. Then we spent the rest of the night in the guest room of the hall,” Farabbi told UNB.  However, the accused BCL men denied the allegations of torture.  Denying the allegations, Atiq Shahriar, one of the accused, said that there was no incident of beating or torture.  “The complainant was misbehaving with his friends. He threw one of his friends out of the room. So we went to convince him,” he said.  Another accused, Imran Mirza, claimed the allegation was ‘baseless.’  However, Shakib, a student of the International Department and a witness of the incident, said, "I moved from the room after hearing the sound of slapping."  “Then I saw some of our seniors from the 48th batch beating Farabbi. Later, I escorted him out of the room," he added.  Aktaruzzaman Sohel, president of the university unit BCL, said, "The Chhatra League has declared zero tolerance against ragging.” “Such incidents are not acceptable. If the allegation of torture is true, organizational action will be taken against those involved,” said Sohel.  Professor Nazmul Hossain Talukder, the provost of Rabindranath Tagore Hall, said strict action will be taken following an investigation.        

Md Shahabuddin Chuppu, who is set to become the next President of Bangladesh, is a lawyer by profession and a member of the Advisory Council of Bangladesh Awami League. Md Shahabuddin was born in Pabna in 1949 and was one of the first members of Pabna district Chhatra League, Awami League’s student wing. He would eventually become the unit’s president. In 1971, he was the convenor of the Swadhin Bangla Chhatra Sangram Parishad in Pabna, and took part in Liberation War. He became the president of the Pabna district Jubo League in 1974. Read More: Md Shahabuddin Chuppu set to become country’s next president He was imprisoned following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. He was later appointed as the Law Ministry’s coordinator in the Bangabandhu assassination case. In 1982, he joined the BCS (Judicial) Department, and in 1995, he was elected General Secretary of the Judicial Service Association. He served as the chairman of the Judicial Inquiry Commission, which investigated murders, rapes, thefts, and other crimes by BNP-Jamaat alliance’s activists and leaders following the 2001 general election. He also worked as a District and Sessions Judge and retired in 2006. He was a commissioner at Anti-Corruption Commission from 2011 to 2016. Also Read: ‘Everything is Allah’s will’: Md Shahabuddin, set to become next President of Bangladesh In the previous National Council of Bangladesh Awami League, he served as election commissioner. He earned his LLB from Rajshahi University in 1975, and completed his MSc from the same institution. Md Shahabuddin’s wife Prof Dr Rebecca Sultana, is a former joint secretary of the government. According to the schedule, the presidential election will be held on February 19 as the tenure of incumbent President Abdul Hamid nears an end. The final date for submitting nomination papers was February 12 and those will be reviewed on February 13, as per the EC. The commission set February 14 as the final date for withdrawing nominations. Voting will be held at Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban from 2 pm to 5 pm on February 19. According to the constitution, a new president has to be elected within 90 to 60 days prior to the end of the incumbent president's tenure. The previous presidential election schedule was announced on January 25, 2018. Abdul Hamid was elected president unopposed for the second term on February 6 though the election was slated for February 18. President Hamid is set to complete his tenure on April 23 this year

A clash between two groups of Chhatra League at Dhaka College has left at least 15 students injured. Students of North hostel and South Hostel of the college got involved in the clash around 9pm on Saturday. A student named Al Amin of South Block of Dhaka College was beaten by some students of North Block inside the campus at 8:30 pm.  Later, when the news spread in the campus, the two groups clashed using indigenous weapons, sticks, rods, and machetes. Cocktail explosions and gunfire were also heard during the clash. Witnesses said they heard at least three gunshots, and cocktails during the incident, although the college principal has denied this. Read: BCL Factional Clash: IU forms investigation panel

Police arrested two activists of Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of ruling Awami League, along with hemp from in front of the university's main entrance on Friday. The arrestees were identified as Tanu Shikder, a former student of public administration department under 2014-15 academic session and Gulhar Masud Rana Rifat, a final year student of the same department of the university. They were the activists of IU BCL unit. Tanu was also the incumbent general secretary of IU unit Muktijoddha Mancha. Acting on a tip off, a team of IU police conducted a drive in front of the university's main entrance and arrested the duo along with 25gram of hemp from their possession around 5:30pm, Islamic University police station sub-inspector Onik said. They were taken to IU police station for interrogation and legal action would be taken against them, the SI added. The process of filing a case with the police station under the Narcotics Act was underway, IU police station officer-in-charge Mostafizur Rahman said.  Alsor read: Man held with 63kg hemp

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday described the attack on Liberal Democratic Party leader Dr Redwan Ahmed by the ‘ruling party cadres’ in Chandina upazila of Cumilla as premeditated. In a statement, he also alleged that there was instigation from the highest level of the government behind the attack. “This heinous attack has proved once again that the country is now under a fascist and authoritarian rule. I strongly condemn and protest this cowardly attack,” the BNP leader said. He demanded the government immediately arrest the perpetrators and mete out exemplary punishment to them. Fakhrul voiced concern as Redwan, secretary general of one of the BNP-led 20-party alliance’s key partners in the LDP, was arrested when he took shelter at a local police station in self-defence following an attack on his vehicle as it arrived at a meeting. The BNP secretary general said although the government made various statements seeking the participation of all parties in the next parliamentary election, the attacks on opposition parties’ meetings and rallies targeting their leaders by the ruling party ‘cadres’ have exposed its self-contradiction. "It has become clear through the attack that this regime is dependent on terrorism.” Fakhrul alleged that the ruling party ‘cadres’ have turned the entire country into a bloodied state by destroying democracy and taking the law into their own hands. “The government has become more reckless and desperate to protect its own existence. Such an attack has indicated how awful Awami fascism will be in the days to come,” the BNP leader observed. READ: BNP won’t even join talks on polls until AL quits power: Fakhrul Earlier in the day, two people were shot by Redwan during a clash between activists of the ruling party student front Bangladesh Chhatra League and the LDP at Redwan Ahmed College premises in Chandina upazila of Cumilla. After the clash, Dr Redwan, a former MP, was held on accusation of firing shots from his gun. Police and witnesses said the leaders and activists of the LDP and BCL arrived at the college campus on Monday noon to hold their separate meetings. Amid the tension, some BCL activists allegedly chased the personal vehicle of Dr Redwan Ahmed when he reached the spot. In order to fend them off, he fired at them from his gun through the window of his vehicle.

A Dhaka University (DU) correspondent of a news portal has alleged that he was beaten up in his room by a Bangladesh Chhatra League activist for failing to mention the name of a BCL leader in his reports. The victim, Ashiqul Haque Rifat, is a second-year student of the mass communication and journalism department. He also works for 'The Daily Campus' and a resident of Sir A F Rahman Hall. In his complaint to the university authorities, Ashiqul claimed that Farhan Tanveer Nasif, a second-year student of the department of linguistics and a resident of the same hall, roughed him up on Thursday for not mentioning the name of Al Nahiyan Khan Joy, the president of BCL central unit, in his reports."Nasif and I had an altercation earlier for not highlighting Al Nahiyan Khan Joy’s name in a report. On Thursday, we had an argument over the same issue and he thrashed me," Ashiqul said. When contacted, Nasif denied the allegation. READ: Missing DU student found in front of DB office Riazul Islam, president of Sir AF Rahman hall BCL unit, said, "I had a chat with both of them individually." AFR hall provost, Prof Saiful Haque said, "A two-member committee will be formed to probe the allegations. Action will be taken against the accused following the probe report."

The hall conference of Dhaka University Chhatra League unit was held on Sunday after a gap of five years on TSC premises. Amid playing of national anthem and releasing pigeons President of Dhaka University Chhatra League Sanjit Chandra Das inaugurated the conference, A cultural session was held before the beginning of the main part of the conference. Also read: After 5 years, BCL hall conference to be held Jan 30 Borikul Islam Badhon, former president of Bangabandhu Hall Chhatra League unit and convener of conference preparatory committee presided over the conference.

Three staff of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) were injured in an attack by some activists of the DMCH unit Chhatra League during a sit-in programme at the college premises on Monday. The injured were identified as Jony, Bashar and Naim. READ: Incarcerated war criminal dies at DMCH Shipon Mia, general secretary of Bangladesh 4th class Government Workers Association, said the staff of the hospital was holding a sit-in programme in front of the office of the Principle of the college demanding cancellation of recruitment of outsourcing manpower in the morning. At one stage, the activists of Chhatra League swooped on them and carried out an attack during their peaceful demonstration, leaving three people injured. When the news spread, the staff confined the students after closing the main gate of the ward corridor, creating a panic among the patients. Later, the authorities brought the situation under control and released the students for confiscation.

Impunity of the masterminds of Buet Chhatra League leader Arif Raihan Dwip, eight years into his murder at the hands of religious extremists, has engrieved former leaders of the university's student wing of the ruling Awami League. They also demanded that everybody involved in his murder be handed exemplary punishment in the quickest possible time. The former Buet unit leaders of the ruling party were speaking at a virtual meeting headed by Awami League Science and Technology Secretary Md Abdus Sabur. Arif Raihan Dwip's relatives also joined the meeting. Also read: Buet students threaten class boycott if Abrar murder accused continues classes Abdus Sabur said the anti-liberation quarter murdered Dwip. "We have to be vocal against Hefajat, Jamaat, BNP, and extremist groups." He also condemned all the murders that took place in Buet.

Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Dhaka University (DU) unit staged a rally on Monday with five point charter of demands including withdrawal of residence and transport fees of the pandemic year. Their four other demands are: vaccination for all students, assurance of drug-free campus, formulation of roadmap for implementation of university master plan to alleviate residential crisis, modernization of DU Medical Centre and assurance of Covid-19 treatment for students. The rally took place at the foot of anti-terrorism Raju memorial sculpture at noon, but due to rain the programme was shortened. READ: Dhaka University teachers, students demand reopening campus Bangladesh Chhatra League’s (BCL) Dhaka university unit President Sanjit Chandra Das presided over the rally while BCL’s DU unit General Secretary Saddam Hossain conducted the programme. Sanjit Chandra Das said, “Students’ are facing various mental problems due to the closure of educational institutions for a long time and many students’ have committed suicide. The university administration should reopen the institution by ensuring vaccination for all the students immediately.” “The university authority has to improve the service of Dhaka University Medical Center to ensure the heath protection of the students, and the public university student should be brought under health insurance,” he added. Saddam Hossain said, “Although the university remains closed for 15 months, the university students have to pay the residence and transformation fees. Considering the financial situation of students, the administration should have to waive abovementioned fees. The teachers failed to play the role of guardian.”   READ: Dhaka University unveils grand plans for centenary celebrations “The Prime Minister has instructed to vaccinate all the students’ emergency basis but due to lack of coordination among concerned authorities the public university students have not vaccinated yet. Overcoming all the administrational negligence, the university administration has to coordinate with concerned authorities to bring all students under the vaccination,” he added.