Two leaders of the Dhaka University Central Student Union were assaulted in front of Shahbagh police station in the city Thursday evening.
The victims are DUCSU social welfare affairs secretary Zubair Bin Nesary and literature and cultural affairs secretary Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad. Both Zubair and Musaddiq were elected secretaries in the past DUCSU elections from the Islami Chhatra Shibir-backed panel.
Islami Chhatra Shibir alleged that the leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal carried out the attack as a tense situation was prevailing on the university campus between the activists of the two student organisations over graffiti.
Several journalists reportedly came under attack allegedly by Chhatra Dal activists while collecting information on the incidents during the time.
Following the incident, Zubair and Musaddiq were rescued and taken to the office of the officer-in-charge of Shahbagh police station.
A group of agitated people, including Chhatra Dal activists, gathered in front of the station as a tense situation was prevailing in the area adjacent to the campus.
Later, Chhatra Dal president Rakib, along with other top leaders, went to the police station premises and brought DUCSU leader Zubair and Musaddiq out of Shahbagh police station.
Earlier on Wednesday night, tension erupted between activists of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir over a graffiti programme carried out by JCD at several halls of Dhaka University.
Altercations and protest rallies took place at Bijoy Ekattor Hall and Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall. Similar graffiti was also reported at Shaheed Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall, triggering reactions among students.
Six journalists were allegedly harassed while covering the incidents. The victims accused Chhatra Dal activists of involvement, though the organisation later expressed regret over the matter.
According to witnesses, Chhatra Dal staged a ‘protest graffiti’ programme at Bijoy Ekattor Hall at around 8:00pm, writing various slogans, including ‘Gupta’, on a wall in front of the hall union room.
Tarek Rahaman Shakib, reading room secretary of the hall union from the Shibir panel, obstructed them, leading to an altercation.
Tanvir Al Hadi Mayed, convener of the Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit of Chhatra Dal, said, ‘We were carrying out a wall graffiti programme at the hall. Two of our members were writing on the wall when an elected secretary of the hall union came, verbally abused them in an aggressive manner, and then tried to snatch a phone when they attempted to take photos.’
‘We protested at the incident and will submit a written complaint to the hall provost,’ he added.
Tarek Rahaman Shakib denied the allegations, saying he did not use abusive language and only tried to prevent writing on the wall of the hall union room. He also dismissed the allegation of attempting to snatch a mobile phone.
Bijoy Ekattor Hall provost Professor SM Ali Reza said that a representative of the hall union had tried to obstruct the graffiti programme, which created tension between the two sides.
However, both parties later showed restraint, he added.
At Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall, tensions flared over graffiti reading ‘Gupta politics must end’, written by Chhatra Dal, followed by counter-graffiti by Shibir activists.
House tutor Mizanur Rahman held a meeting with both sides to bring the situation under control.
On Tuesday, activists of Chhatra Dal and Shibir clashed at Government City College in Chattogram over the alteration of a graffiti slogan, leaving several students injured.
