Our Correspondent, Barishal :
Miscreants have attacked Barisal University student-mess leaving at least 11 students injured who were admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital (SBMCH).
At least 14 minor injured students received first aid from local clinics.
Later, agitated students blocked the Barishal-Kuakata regional highway disrupting road communication of Barishal with four districts of the division from Wednesday morning.
The injured students alleged that a group of transport workers from the local Rupatali bus stand area and outsiders carried out the attack on Wednesday morning with lethal and sharp weapons including sticks, rod and machete.
The agitated students also set fire a passenger bus of ‘Kuakata Express’ which was parked by the highway.
The injured students admitted to SBMCH were Fazlul Haque Rajib, Masters student in Mathematics, Alim Salehi, Masters student in Sociology, Miraj, Emon, Dodhul Faraji, Mahabub, Sheikh Sajib of Marketing, Nur, student of Soil Science, Sohan and Sohag of Chemistry, and Rahul of Bangla 2nd Year.
Among them Alim Salehi, Emon and Noor received head injuries and were undergoing treatment after CT scan, said SBMCH sources.
BU student Hasibul Hasan said that they called 999 during attack by the road transport workers and then their mobile phone sets were snatched away by the attackers.
A meeting was held with the university authorities at noon in the office of the Vice Chancellor but no solution was found.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Traffic Department, Barisal Metropolitan Police, Mahamudullah Shamim said all possible efforts are being made to solve the problem and detain the liable attackers.
Vice Chancellor of Barishal University Dr. Sadekul Arefin said, we visited the injured students at the hospital and ensured all sorts of medical expense from BU fund.
The three demands placed by the students were: taking immediate steps to bring the culprits of Tuesday’s attack to justice, filing a case against the perpetrators of the attack on behalf of the university administration and taking steps to ensure the safety of all non-resident students.
According to the university students, led by Kawsar Hossain Shipon, general secretary of the Patuakhali Minibus Owners’ Association, some outsiders participated in the attack.
However Kawsar Hossain Shipon said he had no involvement with the incident.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, a male student named Sajal and female student Farjana of Barisal University came to the BRTC bus counter to go to Khulna. At that time they engaged in an altarection with the staff of the bus counter Rafiq. Suddenly, Rafiq stabbed Sajal on face and assaulted Farhana.
Hearing that the BU students becoming tempted vandalised the BRTC counter and blocked the Barisal-Kuakata regional highway for two hours till 4 pm.
Police arrested Rafiq and injured University student Sajol as complainant filed a case against Rafiq with Bandar police station in this connection increasing tension between both sides.
Meanwhile, UNB added: Students of Barishal University have been protesting in the city since Wednesday morning against an attack on some of their fellows by local transport workers on Tuesday.
Witnesses said the protests began around 7 am when scores of university students blocked traffic on the busy Barishal-Patuakhali highway, demanding immediate action against the perpetrators of Tuesday’s attack that left 11 scholars injured.
On Tuesday, two students of the university were allegedly manhandled by few staffers of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) at BRTC bus counter in the Rupatoli area of the city.
In protest, some students of the university blocked the bus terminal for two hours. They dispersed only after police arrested one BRTC employee, identified as Rafique, in connection with the attack.
In retaliation, the transport workers armed with sticks barged into a university hostel and attacked a student, identified as Mahmudul Hasan Tomal, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.
As the news of the attack spread, thanks to social media, students from other hostels of the university rushed to the spot to save Tomal. The transport workers attacked Tomal’s rescuers too, leaving 11 injured.
Dr Subrata Kumar Das, proctor of Barishal University, said that as soon they got the information of the attack, senior officials rushed to the spot and subsequently ensured proper treatment to the injured.
