Staff Reporter :Leaders and workers of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of ruling Awami League, on Friday staged demonstrations on the Dhaka University campus as the University’s souvenir, published marking its 95th founding anniversary, mentioned Ziaur Rahman as the first President of Bangladesh.In the wake of the incident, the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique was attacked and its Acting Registrar Syed Rezaur Rahman was removed.The aggrieved BCL activists attacked the car of VC Arefin Siddique and smashed its window and in front of his residence while Arefin was inside the car. The VC, however, escaped unhurt. They also issued an ultimatum to quit him from the post of VC immediately. Otherwise, they will call an indefinite students strike on the DU campus from today (Saturday).However, BCL shelved its move over Dhaka University’s yearbook after assurance that the culprits behind a printing “mistake” will be brought to book.After daylong agitation, demonstration and vandalism, the ruling party’s student front reconciled after a meeting with University authorities yesterday evening.Witnesses said as part of the founding anniversary programme, a discussion meeting started at 11:00am at the TSC auditorium with Vice-Chancellor Arefin Siddique in the chair. When copies of the souvenir were distributed among the guests, students including some BCL leaders turned furious as Ziaur Rahman was mentioned as the first President of Bangladesh in it.The souvenir also mentioned ‘Jagannath Hall’ of the University as a residential hall of the students of minority groups.The BCL men also locked the main gate of VC’s residence and continued to stage demonstrations in front of it. They announced that they would continue their agitation until resignation of the VC. Showing firearms when the bodyguard asked the BCL men to leave the spot, they (BCL men) became furious and started ransacking the car carrying the V.C. Later BCL President Abid Al Hasan and General Secretary Motahar Hossain of Dhaka University unit, tried to control the situation. However, VC Arefin Siddique managed to enter the house. At one stage, the agitated BCL leaders and workers also confined Acting Registrar of the University Syed Rezaur Rahman to his office and torched a copy of the souvenir in front of it at about 3:30pm. Later, the University Proctor rushed to the spot and rescued the acting registrar, students and witness said. Following the incident Acting Registrar Syed Rezaur Rahman has been suspended. The souvenir has also been forfeited. Besides, the committee formed to publish the souvenir, has also been cancelled. In the face of massive protest when the University authorities suspended the Acting Registrar Syed Rezaur Rahman, the agitated BCL men withdrew their siege programme. But the BCL men later took position around the VC’s residence at about 4:00pm and started staging demonstrations there. Talking to journalists AAMS Arefin Siddique termed the incident as an unfortunate, saying he formed a probe body to investigate the incident. He said that he would not take the responsibility.Saifur Rahman Sohag, President of BCL central unit, said it is not a mistake.”Stern action will have to be taken against those involved in such distortion of the history,” he said.BCL President of DU unit Abid Al Hasan said the VC cannot avoid his responsibility. “We think VC himself is involved with the incident,” he said. BCL General Secretary of DU unit Motahar Hossain said the VC must go by Saturday.
