Bangladesh News

At least 20 students of Dhaka Medical College were injured in clashes between Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday.

Students said tensions had already been mounting in last few days between the student wings of the BNP and the Awami League over recruiting freshers into their organisations.

They said the JCD activists swooped on their rivals at about 10:30am yesterday following an altercation Thursday between the two groups during the celebration of the 65th day of K-65 batch, this year’s intake in the medical college.

Chase and counter-chase followed for nearly two hours in which 20 students were injured. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH).

A fifth year student, Sayed, said JCD activists pushed him over from the 2nd floor of Fazle Rabbi Hall, the student dormitory, breaking his arms and legs.

“Some Chhatra Dal leaders were threatening us because they said we were wooing the freshers into joining the Chhatra League. Then we had an altercation with them yesterday during the celebration of the 65th day of K-65 batch. The next morning we found them in front of our dorm rooms with sticks and clubs,” he said.

They started beating up the BCL cadres indiscriminately and ransacked their rooms, he alleged.

The JCD activists, however, claimed that BCL activists clubbed them and ransacked their rooms.

BCL President Mahmud Hasan Ripon and acting General Secretary Syed Abul Kalam condemned the attack on BCL activists and demanded immediate punishment of those responsible for the violence in order to maintain law and order on and around the campus.