Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) is observing a strike at Sylhet’s Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in protest against an attack on one of its leaders. SUST Vice-Chancellor Aminul Haque Bhuiyan has also expressed his solidarity with BCL, the student front of the ruling Awami League. Students blocked the Sylhet-Sunamganj road since Thursday morning, suspending traffic on the road since 8am. The blockade on the highway was removed around 11am, but the protestors’ blockade at SUST main entrance continued. A central committee member of BCL’s SUST unit Uttam Sarkar was assaulted with sharp weapons by a group of miscreants on Wednesday. No classes and exams have been held since Thursday morning. Meanwhile SUST VC has expressed his solidarity with the pro-strike students. “I fully agree with you. Legal and academic actions will be taken against those involved,” he told the BCL gathering at the main entrance of SUST campus around 9 am Thursday. SUST BCL leader Uttam Sarkar was rushed to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation in Dhaka early on Thursday. Jamat-e-Islami’s student wing, the Islami Chhatra Shibir was behind the attack, alleged SUST BCL’s vice president Anjan Roy. Meanwhile, police have detained an SUST student for alleged complicity with the attack. Jalalabad Police Station OC Akter Hossain said that they nabbed political studies student Jabedur Rahman from Dhamaliparha area nearby SUST campus early on Thursday.
