Gunshots, arson used as BCL factions clash in Dhaka College; several injured

Intermittent gunshots and a series of arson have been reported during a clash between two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in Dhaka College that left several people injured.

A BCL college unit leader is among the injured, according to police and witnesses who failed to ascertain the exact number of injured persons.

Immediately after the clash, police swooped on the college campus and detailed at least 10 people, suspected of being involved in the clash, for questioning.

Witnesses said gunshots were fired and several motorcycles were torched during the clashes on Saturday evening.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sarder said iron sticks and sharp weapons were seized from the residential halls during the raid that continued until midnight.

Witnesses and leaders of the organisation said the BCL faction headed by its Dhaka College unit Convenor Noor-e-Alam Bhuiyan Raju attacked the rivals at five residential halls.

New Market Police Station OC Atiqur Rahman said police were investigating who carried out the violence in the college campus.

A student told bdnews24.com that the sound of the gunshots created panic among the students.

"Several motorcycles were torched. Many left the halls immediately," he said.

BCL's Dhaka College unit Joint Convenor Md Hiron Bhuiyan told bdnews24.com that the rivals beat up and hacked another Joint Convenor, Sheikh Russel, while he was asleep.

Hiron said he and two other Joint Convenors, Russel Mahmud and Humayun Kabir Rana, went to meet the president and general secretary of the organisation in the evening to discuss a programme.

"We came to know at that time that Raju attacked the halls with 20 to 25 outsiders," he said.

Raju denied the allegation of attacking the rivals, claiming that he was not in the college during the incident and his organisation was not involved in it.

"There was some disturbance among the general students," he said and added that he was 'trying to control the situation' by talking to the authorities.

A BCL leader, requesting anonymity, told bdnews24.com that the organisation formed a committee for its Dhaka College unit with Raju as the convenor and 35 other joint convenors a few days ago.

"Raju was under pressure as the five halls were under six joint convenors' control," he said.

The six joint convenors - Hiron, Mahmud, Rana, Sheikh, Sultan Mahmud and Imrul Hasan Lenin - took position outside the halls during the raid.

"The central leaders have asked us to enter the halls with police help. We are waiting for the raid to end," said Hiron.

BCL President Saifur Rahman Sohag told bdnews24.com that he heard some 'miscreants and outsiders’ attacked the students and BCL leaders and activists.

Vice-President Kazi Enayet Hossain was sent to the college to investigate the incident, he said, adding, "Stern actions will be taken if someone of Chhatra League is found involved in the clash."