Chhatra Dal committee dissolved in Natore college after video of BCL man's beating goes viral
"There are no directives from the party to capture and beat members of Chhatra League or any criminals," said Maruf Hossain Srijon, general secretary of the Natore district Chhatra Dal, following the dissolution
The Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal committee in Natore's Nawab Siraj-Ud-Dowla Govt College has been dissolved following the viral video showing the beating of an activist of the banned Chhatra League after being thrown onto the footboard of a moving battery-run autorickshaw.
The committee's dissolution was announced in a press release signed by Md Jahangir Alam, the central office secretary of Chhatra Dal, last night (21 April).
"The committee of Chhatra Dal at Nawab Siraj Ud-Dowla Government College, under the Natore district branch, has been dissolved as per the decision of the Chhatra Dal Central Council," reads the press release.
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Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir approved this decision. The press release also mentioned that a new committee for this college branch will be announced soon.
According to district Chhatra Dal sources, a video spread on social media and was reported in various news outlets on Sunday afternoon (20 April) showing an incident where Faisal Hossain, 25, an activist of Natore District Chhatra League, was beaten after being thrown onto the footboard of a moving battery-run autorickshaw in the Kanaighali area of the city.
SM Zubair, president of Nawab Siraj Ud-Dowla Government College Chhatra Dal, and several other leaders and activists were allegedly involved in the incident.
Following this, the central committee of Chhatra Dal conducted an investigation into the matter, which led to the dissolution of the college branch committee.
"There are no directives from the party to capture and beat members of Chhatra League or any criminals," said Maruf Hossain Srijon, general secretary of the Natore district Chhatra Dal following the dissolution.
"We condemned the incident as soon as we learned about it. The central Chhatra Dal has been in contact with us repeatedly. This dissolution decision may have been made as allegations have been raised against the leaders of the college committee," he added.
Incident as shown in viral video
On Sunday afternoon, Faisal, an activist of Chhatra League, the banned student wing of the ousted Awami League, was allegedly assaulted by Chhatra Dal members and paraded through the town in a battery-run autorickshaw while one of the alleged attackers stepped on his back in Natore.
Several others were seen following the vehicle, playing loud music as the victim cried out. Witnesses said the vehicle was driven about two kilometres through the town's main road.
According to Faisal's account, he was returning home from the Fire Service intersection when Nayem, president of Ward No 7 Chhatra Dal, and Rimon, general secretary, attacked him from behind.
"They threw me onto a road divider and started beating me. Later, they put me in an autorickshaw, stepped on my back, and drove me around the town while I was screaming. They also snatched away my money bag and took all the money. When I asked why I was being attacked, they said, 'You do Chhatra League, that is your crime,'" Faisal told The Business Standard.
He claimed that they released him to his family after forcing him to sign a bond pledging to leave the Chhatra League.
The accused, Nayeem and Rimon, have reportedly gone into hiding, and their statements could not be obtained.
A case was filed with the Natore Sadar Police Station yesterday afternoon (21 April) over the matter.
Faisal's father, Md Khairul Islam Liton, filed the case naming SM Zubair, president of Chhatra Dal at Natore Nawab Siraj Ud-Dowla Government College, Rimon, president of Chhatra Dal's Ward No 7 of Natore, and General Secretary Naim, along with five-six unidentified individuals as accused.
