Violence at Rajshahi Polytechnic: AL failed to tame BCL despite cops' warning

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Despite forewarning from the district police administration about Bangladesh Chhatra League's preparation for an attack, the ruling party leadership in Rajshahi failed to tame their student wing resulting in Chhatra Moitree leader Sunny's death on Thursday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity two senior police officials told The Daily Star yesterday that law enforcers told Awami League leadership beforehand about muscle flexing of Chhatra League activists on the Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute campus.

"As we could sense an imminent danger from some recent incidents we warned local ruling party leaders and requested them to control their student organisation at polytechnic institute," a senior police official here said preferring anonymity.

A bomb went off on January 3 as activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League were making bombs at a Chhatra League-dominated dorm as part of their preparation for a clash, he said.

"Sensing something ominous we deployed extra forces at the institute. But the attack on Moitree leaders was pre-planned and some of our men received injuries while trying to resist them," said another police official.

Contacted, Rajshahi city unit Awami League acting general secretary Shafikur Rahman Badsha acknowledged being warned by the law enforcers and said, "Even before police told us anything, we ourselves were aware of Chhatra League's internecine feuds and also its feud with Moitree over trivial issues."

He categorically mentioned the name of Chhatra League Polytechnic Institute president Nizam Uddin, the main accused in Sunny murder case, and said, "Sunny murder is not political; it was resulted from Nizam's personal enmity with Moitree president Jewel."

Rajshahi city Chhatra League president Abdul Momin said, "Actions against the Chhatra League men were delayed, as we were looking into an allegation against Moitree. The allegation is they recruited several former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists in its student front who had beaten our men in the past."

Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute unit Moitree president Kazi Abdul Mottaleb Jewel was blamed for beating up Nizam and two other Chhatra League activists and damaging Nizam's newly purchased motorcycle on the campus on November 1.

Talking to The Daily Star, Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute Vice-principal Moazzem Hossain said they could not anticipate anything. "We will form a probe committee to look into the matter and punish the culprits after the institute reopens," he said.

Meanwhile, Workers' Party and its students wing Chhatra Moitree held a protest rally in the city last evening and demanded immediate arrest of the killers of Sunny.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=121242