6 injured as Chattogram College Chhatra League factions clash

A classroom was also vandalised during a skirmish between supporters of the college’s BCL president and backers of its general secretary

Six people have been injured after clashes between two factions of the Bangladesh Chhatra League at Chattogram College.

A classroom at the Department of Botany was also vandalised during a skirmish between supporters of the college’s BCL president and backers of its general secretary on Tuesday afternoon.

Three of the injured have been identified as Zia Uddin Arman, Nayeem Asif and Monir Uddin.

Eyewitnesses say supporters of BCL President Mahmudul Karim and General Secretary Subhash Mollik Shobuj had been in conflict over the arrangements for several of the ruling party student wing’s events at the college.

One of the factions attacked a member of their rival around 11:30 am, in front of the main college building. The two sides then threw brickbats at each other and charged at one another. Police came to the scene and were able to disperse the two sides, restoring order.

BCL General Secretary Shobuj claims Mahmudul led an attack on his supporters and the clash occurred when they went to confront him.

Supporters of Mahmudul attacked Zia Uddin Arman, a student in the Department of History, around 11:30 am, he said. When Zia attempted to take refuge in the Department of Botany, they followed him there.

The attackers vandalised a room in the department, Shobuj added.

Mahmudul denied the claim, saying that a group led by off-campus criminals were causing incidents at the college. He said this group was harassing students using the names of influential locals. The student body was protesting this when outsiders attacked them, he said.

He claimed six people were hurt in the violence.

Manzur Quader, chief of Chawkbazar Police Station, said police broke up a clash between supporters of Mahmudul and Shobuj. Though no one was detained, the skirmish was halted, he said.