[Bangla Daily Star] At least 15 activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were injured in a violent intra-party clash over establishing supremacy at a dormitory at Jahangirnagar University (JU) early Friday.Witnesses said the clash erupted as a faction of BCL led by Jihan-Palash entered the Meer Mosharraf Hossain (MMH) Hall along with 40 to 50 outsiders at 4:00 am and vandalised at least 25 rooms of the dorm. Masked and equipped with sharp weapons and firearms, the attackers made their entry through the dining room and swooped on sleeping students, said sources.
Earlier another faction led by Pritam-Sabbir drove loyalists of Jihan-Polash out of the dorm on March 10 when a bloody clash halted all academic activities on the campus for several days. The dormitory, since then, had been under the control of Pritom- Sabbir faction.
The Jihan-Palash group looted at least 70 to 80 cell phones, 2 LCD monitors and cash from the hall during the rampage. The attackers, however, fled after being chased by their rival faction. Police picked up five BCL men after the clash.
During the clash, Belal, a fourth year student of anthropology department, was stabbed. The other injured students include Tanmoy, a 3rd year student of Bangla, Roni, a 2nd year student of economics, Shubroto, a 3rd year student of economics, Joy, a post-graduate student of economics, Liton, a 2nd year student of economics, Mamun, a post-graduate student of economics, and his guest Sayem.
Belal was referred to the Central Hospital after his condition worsened while others were referred to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital and Enam Medical College and Hospital.
General secretary of recently dissolved BCL JU unit Mahmud Naser Joni said the attackers were not BCL men.
Police raided Meer Mosharraf Hossain Hall at 6:45am and arrested Sajib, Tofa, Saer, Shawan and one unidentified person. The law enforcers also recovered three sharp weapons from the dormitory. Additional police forces have been deployed on the campus to avert further trouble.
Proctor of JU Arju Miah told the Daily Star they would form a committee to look into the matter and gave assurance that authorities would take stern actions against those responsible for the attack and looting.
No case had been filed till filing of the report at 5:00 pm yesterday, Officer-in-charge of Savar Police Station Shafiqul Islam said.
The BCL university committee was dissolved on February 17 following a series of clashes over establishing supremacy at residential halls.