At least 40 students of Jahangir Nagar University [JU] were injured when two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League [BCL] were locked in clashes over extortion on the campus on Sunday.The BCL factional clash occurred within hours the university received its first female Vice-Chancellor Farzana Islam. The admission tests of the first year fresher students were underway when the conflicting BCL cadres rocked the campus with gunshots.The clash ensued between two groups of BCL, one led by general secretary Rajib Ahmed Russell and another led by organizing secretary Faisal Hossain Dipu, over taking food free of cost from a shop of the university, eye witnesses said.Of the injured, seven persons were identified as Asif, Mahnud, Rochi, Asad, Saddam, Jahid and Rassel. They were admitted to Anam Medical Hospital for treatment. Besides, a Geography student of the 41st batch Nehal Shahriar received bullet wounds.Some BCL men of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall took food amounting to Tk 7,000 at a restaurant in the afternoon. While they were leaving the hotel without paying the bill, another group of Salam-Barkat Hall unit BCL activists, led by its general secretary Rajib Ahmed Russel, protested the incident triggering an altercation.At one stage, Mosharraf Hossain Hall unit BCL men assaulted some of their rivals including Rachi, Asif and Mahmud triggering a clash leaving about 10 persons injured. When the news spread around, the Rajib Ahmed Russell group along with some resident students of Shahid Salam Barkat Hall conducted an attack on Faisal Hossain Dipu’s group in Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall. The group, loyal to BCL leader was hurling pieces of wood and brick from inside the hall.Both the groups equipped with firearms and other lethal weapons continued the clash in the hall and its surrounding area for over an hour. They hurled brick chips and fired gunshots during the clashes, leaving at least 30 persons injured. Later, a huge contingent of police led by Savar Circle ASP Russel Sheikh rushed to the spot and charged baton, lobbed tear gas conisters and fired shotgun bullets to bring the situation under control.None was arrested and no case was filed in connection with the incident till the time of filing this report yesterday night. Proctor of the capmus Prof. Mujibur Rahman resigned instanly following the incident. He, however, withdrew his resignation after some time.
