JCD-Shibir clash at CMC leaves 25 hurt

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A clash between Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir of Chittagong Medical College (CMC) left around 25 students injured and around 30 dormitory rooms ransacked Thursday night.

The activists of the student organisations also torched five rooms belonging to their rivals at the dormitory on Chatteshwary Road causing much damage.

The college authorities in a hurriedly called meeting declared the college closed sine die and asked students to vacate the dormitories. However, the CMC Academic Council during a meeting last evening decided to resume classes from July 14 and open the dormitories on July 13.

According to sources, a first-year student and a JCD activist was relocated to another dormitory from a room of the main male dormitory, part of which Shibir dominates. The JCD leaders were trying to get one of theirs in that vacant seat while Shibir activists refused to give them the seat, they added.

JCD CMC unit president claimed they asked Shibir leaders to let a JCD activist stay there for a few days but Shibir leaders misbehaved with them.

Around 40 Shibir activists brought out a procession at the dormitory around 9:30pm and chanted slogans against JCD. They also closed the main collapsible gate of the dormitory.

Sources said around 60 JCD activists went to the hostel and locked into an altercation with Shibir leaders at the gate; a scuffle ensued leading to a fully-fledged clash around 10:15pm.

They attacked each other with hockey sticks, sticks and iron rods leaving the 25 injured. They went to different rooms belonging to their rivals and damaged doors, windowpanes and furniture and torched the five rooms.

Police from Panchlaish Police Station rushed there but remained largely inactive, students alleged adding that their number was also very small.

A police official said they could not enter the dormitory immediately as the CMC authorities made delays in giving permission to them.

Police later entered the dormitory and tried to control the agitating students. It was 1:30am when they were able to get the situation under control. They also arrested three students–Jahangir Alam, 24 and Mafiz Ahmad, 25 and Amitosh Das, 20–in connection with the violence.

The CMC authorities in the meeting held early yesterday asked the students to vacate the dormitories by 8:00am.

A large number of police were deployed at the dormitory areas on campus, said Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Panchlaish zone Syed Mezbah Uddin. No case was filed in this connection but the arrested three were sent to court, the police officer added.

The CMC Academic Council during a meeting last evening decided to resume classes on July 14 and open the dormitories on July 13 considering MBBS finals scheduled to start on July 24. Besides, first and second professional exams are also scheduled to begin on the same day, sources said.

The meeting formed a committee to probe the incident.

The CMC principal along with other CMC officials visited the torched and damaged rooms around 6:00pm.

Talking to The Daily Star, the CMC principal said they decided to resume classes as postponement of the scheduled exams would lead to huge loss of time for the students.

He said they would provide police with a report on the extent of damage they had incurred in the incident.

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