Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Goes Berserk

Although ruling party Awami League's associated student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has been clashing among themselves and with rival student organisations on campuses of different educational institutions all over the country since the recent parliamentary election, the home ministry is 'still investigating' the incidents.(The Daily Star )

"It's not clear why such violent incidents are taking place in educational institutions despite our instruction to law enforcers to take drastic actions against the trouble makers. We're investigating, and after that it will be clear who are behind the violent incidents," Home Minister Shahara Khatun told The Daily Star yesterday.

Over the last few days the home minister has been quite vociferous about being tough on trouble makers in educational institutions, no matter which party they belong to, while clashes among rival factions of BCL over establishing supremacy on campuses of different educational institutions have been escalating as well.

Moreover, BCL activists are also getting locked in clashes with rival student organisations, in many cases driving out their rivals from campuses after beating them indiscriminately.

Several hundred student activists already suffered injuries in the clashes on the campuses of around 20 educational institutions, including Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, Jahangirnagar Universitry, Jagannath University, Dhaka College, Dhaka Medical College, Khulna Medical College, Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute, Government Homeopathic Degree College, and Government Ayurvedic College.

At least 20 were injured yesterday as two rival groups of the Jagannath University unit of BCL clashed over establishing supremacy on the campus. Activists of the two BCL factions vandalised at least five vehicles on the road in front of the college, prompting police to fire six rounds of teargas shells to bring the situation under control.

The same day some BCL activists beat up Dhaka University Jasimuddin Hall unit's assistant general secretary of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the associated student organisation of BNP.

A fierce clash between activists of two factions of BCL in Jahangirnagar University on Friday left at least 30 injured. Around 40 rounds of bullets were fired in the clash, although none were reported to have been bullet hit. Police were forced to fire some 30 rounds of teargas canisters to bring the situation under control.

At least 10 persons were injured in a string of clashes between activists of BCL and Biplobi Chhatra Moitree on Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute campus on Friday night.

Home Minister Sahara Khatun meanwhile said they will do whatever needs to be done to put a stop to the campus violence.

Replying to a question the home minister said they will take tough punitive measures, if they find negligence on the part of police in curbing the ongoing campus violence, and in arresting those who are involved in such activities in educational institutions.

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