Bangladesh News

Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) was yesterday declared closed until October 10 following a clash between the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on Thursday night.

The authorities asked the students to vacate their dormitories by 6:00 pm yesterday.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the academic council in the morning with RMC Principal Prof Fazlur Rahman in the chair.

Campus sources said the clash erupted at Shaheed Shah Mainul Ahsan Pinku Hostel at midnight when the JCD activists led by college unit President Mahmudul Hassan Raju and Secretary SM Shahriar Rizvi tried to capture a seat belonging to an outgoing BCL man in room no 205.

The clash continued for half an hour, leaving at least 20 leaders and activists from both the student bodies injured. Twelve rooms of the hostel were ransacked during the clash.

On information, police rushed to the hostel and brought the situation under control.

Of the injured, 15 were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital while the rest given first aid. Those admitted to the hospital are BCL RMC unit President Dewan Mehedi Hassan Tomal, Sports Affairs Secretary Bablu, JCD RMC unit President Raju, Secretary Rizvi, Kawsar Bhuiyan, Sarwar Hossain Sony, Nizar Maruf, Rashedul Islam, Sourav Das, Harun-ur-Rashid, Zakaria Habib, Kamruzzaman, Zahedul Islam, Sohel and Manjurul Karim.

Meanwhile, the Rajshahi University (RU) Syndicate at its meeting on Thursday night decided to reopen the university on October 12.

Earlier on August 20, the RU authorities closed the university for an indefinite period following a violent clash between the students and local traders that left 60 people, including teachers, students and policemen, injured.

The RU residential halls will reopen on October 11, sources said.