Trying to prove his absence in JnU turf war, BCL leader admits to egging Imran’s car

A Bangladesh Chhatra League leader from Jagannath University has surprisingly admitted to taking part in an attack on the car of Imran H Sarker while trying to prove that he was absent in a campus turf war.

The Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson’s car came under attack as he and Mancha activist Sanatan Ullash were leaving the Dhaka metropolitan magistrate’s court after securing bail in a defamation case around Sunday noon.

The case was also started by a leader of the ruling Awami League’s student front, Golam Rabbani. Witnesses alleged that he was among the attackers too.

A group of men had attacked Sarker’s car, pelting it with rotten eggs. The attackers had also chanted pro-Awami League slogans.

Zahir Raihan Agun. Photo taken from Facebook.

Just two hours before, around 10am, two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League or BCL had clashed over submission of tenders to obtain a work order from the Jagannath University or JnU authorities.

The university campus is only several hundred yards far from the court premises.

That clash had led to another brawl around 2pm, leaving at least 10 people injured. One of them, identified as ‘Shanto’, was stabbed and he is currently undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The group that was trying to drop tender in the morning was led by former JnU BCL unit’s president Shariful Islam and general secretary Sirajul Islam.

Their followers alleged that Zahir Raihan Agun of the ‘Mymensingh group’ and leaders of ‘Barisal and Gopalganj’ groups had led their supporters into the attack.

These new leaders are hopefuls for posts on the new JnU BCL committee, which is yet to be announced. Injured Shanto is a member of Agun’s group.

Zahir Raihan Agun with BCL General Secretary SM Jakir Hossain. Photo taken from Facebook.

Speaking to bdnews24.com later in the evening, Agun said, “We had gone to throw eggs at Imran H Sarker who was in court today. When we returned to the campus, Shariful, Sirajul and their supporters attacked us.”

He claimed that the former committee heads had blamed his group for the attack on them even though he and his followers were absent during the first clash in the morning.

JnU Proctor Nur Mohammad told bdnews24.com that he was present during the first brawl in the morning. “It was not a big incident. But I don’t know anything about the clash that occurred around 2pm as it took place outside the campus.”

The morning clash was dissipated by the university officials and the police.

Both Shariful and Sirajul have denied their involvement in the clashes.

However, the victim of the egging in the court premises, Imran, harshly criticised the BCL on a Facebook post afterwards.

“Chhatra League thugs attacked us on the court premises. If such attacks can occur at the court, how can everyone respect the judiciary?” he asked.

“This thieves and robbers will remain in power, they will loot, rape and murder, but we can’t say anything. Cases will start if we protest, and there will be attacks if we go to court.

“Murder, rape, case, attack – everywhere the slogan is ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’. Shame! Did we want our country to be like this?” Imran wrote on his post.

‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ is the trademark slogan of the Awami League. Its affiliate organisations use the phrase too.

The case, for which Imran and Sanatan had surrendered in court and secured bail on Sunday, was started against them after slogans were chanted against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a protest over the removal of the Lady Justice statue from the Supreme Court premises.