The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sohel Rana from RU

Attacks, cases and counter cases by confronting student organizations and police raids on the halls have been vitiating the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET).

Some teachers of the university are allegedly involved in instigating students.

Police led by hall provosts launched separate raids at Shahidullah Hall, Ziaur Rahman Hall and Hamid Hall in hunt of BCL activists Saturday night. They, however, could not recover any firearm or arrest any body.

The RUET unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), which earlier announced an indefinite strike on the campus from Monday, vowed to launch a tougher movement yesterday. BCL activists strongly protested the hall-raid and demanded stop harassment by police.

Earlier, on Thursday, armed cadres of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) attacked BCL activists living 20 of them injured. The JCD men torched and vandalised dozens of rooms of RUET hall belonging to BCL activists.

Former JCD general secretary of RUET unit Benzir Ahmed Tomal, a former student of Electrical department, yesterday filed a counter case with Motiher Police Station accusing 13 BCL activists for the attack.

The accused are-Arshad Pervej, Faisal, Rubel, Tuhin, Rony, Russell, Junayed, Al-Amin, Nazmul, Shishir, Niloy, Himel and Sajib.

Meanwhile, Rajshahi Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Ali Ahmed yesterday granted bail for seven BCL men, putting others to custody.

The RUET unit of BCL at a press conference placed six-point demands including immediate resignation of the university's Student Welfare Adviser Prof Sayed Abdul Mofiz, immediate arrest and punishment of the responsible JCD activists, cancellation of scheduled examinations of June 29 and July 06, and unconditional release of arrested BCL leaders.

They also called on Vice Chancellor Prof Anwarul Haque to press home their demands.

Earlier, BCL RUET unit called an indefinite students strike on the campus from Tuesday demanding 'proper action' against the responsible JCD activists who attacked on BCL men on Thursday.

The BCL activists said their programme would be withdrawn if the authorities meet their six-point demands by Monday.