Protests spark against BCL attacks on teachers, students

Students and teachers of public universities on Monday held protests demanding punishment of Bangladesh Chhatra League activists who unleashed attacks on quota reform protesters, including teachers, at Dhaka University on Sunday.
Students at Dhaka University also demanded resignation of the university’s proctor AKM Golam Rabbani for his ‘failure’ to take steps to punish the ruling Awami League-backed student organisation.
Teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University brought out a silent procession with black cloth on their face while Rajshahi University students formed a human chain demanding punishment of the attackers on DU teachers and students. 
Chhatra League activists on Sunday unleashed attacks on quota reform protesters shoving teachers and beating students. 
The BCL activists pushed and verbally abused mass communication and journalism department professor Fahmidul Haq, associate professor Abdur Razzaque Khan, international relations associate professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, economics assistant professor Rushad Faridi when they were going to take part in a post-human chain procession at Central Shaheed Minar.
Quota reform protestors under the banner of Sadharan Shikkharthibrinda organised the human chain joined by students, teachers, guardians and conscious citizens at Shaheed Minar.
On Monday, teachers and students of international relations department formed a human chain in front of social science faculty building at DU, protesting at attack on teachers including IR associate professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan.
IR teachers Abdul Mannan, Lamea Momen and Ali Siddiquee also joined the protest among others.
Censuring the assault, while addressing the human chain, Professor Abdul Mannan said those who dared to raise finger against a teacher calling for justice were not worth being called human beings.
‘All attackers should be brought to justice,’ he demanded.
Lecturer Ali Siddiquee said that those who did not hesitate to dishonour a teacher were ‘black sheep’ among the students.
Later, they brought out a protest procession campus which paraded different streets of the campus.
Students under the banner of Students against Repression from a rally demanded resignation of the university proctor AKM Golam Rabbani for his ‘failure’ to take any steps to punish the culprits who kept on assaulting students and teachers. 
Institute of education and research teacher Mojibur Rahman said that university was the place for free thinking where everyone had the right to express their opinions while such attacks were the most outrageous.
Zakaria Hossain Animesh, a student of world religions and cultures, from the rally at Raju Memorial Sculpture said several incidents took place after this proctor took office but he completely failed to act properly.
They also brought out a procession after the rally. 
Students of different departments, including Islamic history and culture, which is also the department of DU vice-chancellor and proctor, boycotted class demanding reformation of quota, release of arrested leaders of the movement as well as punishment of the attackers on teachers and students.
Students of law, political science, applied chemistry, mass communication and journalism, MBA and others also boycotted classes.
Meanwhile, parents of quota reform protestor Tarek Rahman from a press conference at the Crime Reporters Association urged the authorities concerned to trace their son who remained missing since Saturday.
Tarek, a joint convener of Bangladesh Shadharan Chhatra Adhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, the platform leading quota reform movement, completed his MBA from Comilla University and was preparing for BCS examination, Tarek’s parents Abdul Latif and Shahana Begum said
They said before going missing Tarek had informed one of his friends that he was being followed by men in plainclothes. Since then his mobile phone was unreachable.
Teachers and students of economics department of the university formed another human chain protesting assault on two students of the department by Chhatra League activists.
On Saturday evening, a group of BCL activists beat up two students of the university in front of Suriya Sen Hall.
New Age Rajshahi University correspondent reported that mass communication and journalism department students formed a human chain on the campus protesting against the assault on Dhaka University teachers and students by Chhatra League activists.
They also demanded exemplary punishment of the attackers.
Addressing the human chain, mass communication and journalism student Tanvir Al Azad said all citizens had the right to express their opinion.
But the BCL activists snatched people’s democratic rights by carrying out attacks on the teachers and students’ peaceful movement, he said.
New Age Jahangirnagar University correspondent reported that teachers and students of the university on Monday demanded immediate punishment of Chhatra League activists who attacked DU teachers and students.
Under the banner of Sikkhak Sikkharthi Oikya Mancha they brought out a silent procession in front of the social science building and it ended at central Saheed Minar.
Among other, anthropology professor Mirza Taslima Sultana, Syed Ferdous and Bangla professor Sharmin Sultana were present at the rally.
Students of history and philosophy departments of the university boycotted the classes and exams demanding the punishment of the attackers and reformation of quota system in government jobs.
A female organiser of quota reform movement of the university on Sunday night filled a ‘sexual harassment allegation’ with proctor office saying that five Chhatra League activists threatened to ‘rape’ her.
The accused BCL leader are university unit vice-president Hamza Rahman and activists Ishqat Harun Aqib of Bangla, Jahid Hasan Imon of Institution of Information Technology, Masud Rana of microbiology and Rony Bhoumik.
In a written complaint, the female student said, she was actively taking part in the quota reform movement. 
‘A group of BCL men frequently verbally abused me for taking part in the quota reform movement.
‘Finally, Hamza Rahman and his fellows abused me on social media, threatening to rape me. They also kept making bad comments regarding my family as well’, she added.
When contacted, Hamza termed the allegation ‘false’ and said, ‘I am victim of a conspiracy. I never threatened to rape anyone’. 
He said that he lodged an appeal to the university vice-chancellor for proper investigation into the matter.
JU proctor Shikder Md Zulkarnine said he received the complaint and forwarded it to JU Anti-Sexual Harassment Cell. ‘They will take initiative after investigation,’ he said.
Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh in a joint statement condemned the Chhatra League attacks on a peaceful procession of DU teachers and students on Sunday.
They also demanded immediate arrest of Chhatra League goons who carried out the attack.
They also called for immediate solution to the ongoing crisis by rational reformation of quota system in public service.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net