20 injured in attacks on Chhatra Odhikar Parishad at DU
Later, Gono Odhikar Parishad led by former Ducsu VP Nur brought out a torch procession, protesting the attack
More than 20 activists of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad were injured in alleged attacks by Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men on the Dhaka University campus on Friday.
Of the injured, four were admitted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, three at Gonoshasthaya Kendra, and 15 others at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Chhatra Odhikar Parishad leaders said activists of their organisation led by its central President Bin Yeamin Molla and General Secretary Ariful Islam came to the TSC area to hold a programme, marking its fifth founding anniversary around 11am.
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At that time, a group of BCL leaders and activists who took the position in front of the DUS cafeteria earlier began chanting slogans mocking Chhatra Odhikar men and suddenly began to beat them mercilessly, leaving scores injured.
Founding convener of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad Hasan Al Mamun told The Business Standard, "Although PM Sheikh Hasina talks about democracy constantly, in reality, Chhatra League, the student wing of her party, is doing anti-democracy and anti-freedom of speech acts.
"At first, BCL attacked a programme of the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad in front of Razu Sculpture and then they attacked us in front of the central mosque of the university," Rashed Khan, joint convenor of Gano Odhikar Parishad and former acting convener of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad.
Denying the allegation, Tanveer Hasan, the general secretary of the Dhaka University unit BCL, said, "The Chhatra League men did not attack them, but the supporters of Cumilla Victorians, a cricket team of Bangladesh Premier League, in Dhaka University, resisted them."
Immediately after the incident, the Gono Odhikar Parishad led by former Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu) VP Nurul Haque Nur brought out a torch procession in the Vijayanagar-Paltan-Press Club area to protest against the attack.
Earlier in October last year, BCL men attacked Chhatra Odhikar Parishad activists on the DU campus, leaving at least 12 Chhatra Odhikar activists injured.
