Staff Reporter :
At least 67 people including students, two teachers, a journalist and a police official were injured in factional clash of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Jahangirnagar University campus on Wednesday.
Witnesses said, there was a dispute among Chhatra League factions from Maulana Bhasani Hall and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall when some of them jostled at a local sweetmeat store.
Around 2pm, a group of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall unit BCL men walloped some activists of Moulana Bhashani Hall unit BCL members at a sweetmeat shop on the campus over a trifling matter. To take revenge, Moulana Bhashani Hall unit BCL men made a counter attack, triggering the clash.
When the students were fighting among themselves, gunfire were heard several times on the campus. The students of two halls were taking position in front of their dormitories.
To restore peace, police lobbed tear gas.
Assistant Professor Mehedi Iqbal of the Department of Geography and Environment, Assistant Proctor Mohibur Rouf Shaibal and a police officer were reportedly injured during the clash. In addition, a journalist named Jubayer Kamal was beaten when he tried to capture the situation by his video.
The injured were taken to the university medical centre, Dr Rejaun of the medical centre said that 40 of them were shifted to Enam Medical College Hospital.
Jewel Rana, President of the Jahangirnagar University unit of Chhatra League, said “The clash was between students from two halls. If anyone from Chhatra League was involved, we will take disciplinary actions against him, and will request the universities to act similarly.”
Acting Proctor ASM Firoz Ul Hasan said, “The conflict was over something trivial. But we had to call the police in. The situation is now somewhat under control. We fear that it may escalate again.”
