Chhatra League temporarily expels three SUST unit leaders after attack on teachers

Bangladesh Chhatra League has temporarily expelled three leaders of the unit at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet for their alleged involvement in the assault on teachers

The decision was announced on Monday night.
 
The three are – university unit senior vice-presidents Abu Sayeed Akanda and Anjan Roy and Senior Joint General Secretary Sajedul Islam Sabuj.
 
BCL President Md Saifur Rahman Sohag told bdnews24.com: “The decision to expel them was taken immediately after allegation came that they were involved in Sunday’s incident.”
 
“Further action against them will follow if they are proved guilty,” he added.

Amid furious backlash, the BCL’s decision to expel them came a day later and only several hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for weeding out ‘rogue’ elements from the Awami League and Chhatra League.
 
Activists of the ruling party’s student wing attacked and manhandled the SUST teachers, demanding that Vice-Chancellor Aminul Haque Bhuiyan resign, at the administrative building on Sunday.
 
The trio suspended on Monday was seen among the attackers, who dragged, shoved and pushed away demonstrating teachers from the place.
 
Chhatra League had denied any involvement when the assaulted teachers held it responsible.
 
BCL General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain Sunday night told bdnews24.com that none of their activists were involved.
 
“The attackers were not from Chhatra League. We’ve come to know that some students carried out the attack in favour of some teachers,” he had said.
 
Hossain, however, had added that they will take punitive action if anyone of his organisation was found involved.
 
The teachers claimed the attack was launched with direct support from VC Bhuiyan.

Several other BCL activists, Dhani Ram Roy, Abdul Baten Tonmoy, Arifur Rahman Rony, Abdus Salam Manju, Kamrul Islam, ‘Jewel, Arifur Rahma Kennedy, Faisal Ahmed, ‘Tomal’ and ‘Jahid’ were among those who assaulted the teachers.
 
BCL’s SUST Unit President Sanjiban Chakravarty Partha and General Secretary Imran Khan were seen standing several yards away from the spot at the time.
 
After the attack, the BCL’s SUST unit at a press conference on the campus had tried to wash their hands of the job.
 
Partha had said, “The incident of assault was not an organisational decision.”
 
Explaining his presence at the scene, he said, “The general secretary and I went there because the agitating teachers had called us when some students had gathered in front of the VC’s office.

VC Aminul Haque Bhuiyan later on the same day stood firmly behind the students who attacked the teachers and had described them as activists trying to protect the institution’s academic environment.
 
He, instead, accused the agitating academics of attacking him.
 
SUST authorities on Monday also opened an investigation into the ‘attack on the vice-chancellor’. 
 
The group of teachers who were assaulted put on black badges and stayed away from work until Monday noon in protest.