BCL clash with job quota protesters at JU: Over 50 hurt

Job quota protesters hold rally on Jahangirnagar University campus on Monday evening. UNB

JU, July 15 --More than 50 individuals, including a teacher, were injured after activists of ruling party student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked a gathering of the quota reform protesters  at Jahangirnagar University this evening.

The injured teacher is Awalad Hossain, professor of the Department of Chemistry and transport officer of the university.

The injured students were taken to the university's medical centre.

The students protesting for quota reform brought out a procession in front of the university library around 6:30pm. When the procession reached Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman residential hall, Chhatra League activists led by University unit President Aktaruzzaman Sohel and General Secretary Habibur Rahman Liton, attacked on the procession leaving several students injured including some female students.

"When quota protesters chased them, resulting in a clash between the two groups, several Chhatra League activists were injured. Chinmoy Sarkar, organizing secretary of the university unit, was among the injured."

The injured BCL men are also receiving treatment at the university's medical service centre.

Among the injured students, Mahfuzul Islam Megh, a student of the university's environmental science department, said, "We brought a peaceful procession on the campus. Suddenly, followers of the president of the University unit Chhatra League attacked us and wanted to kill us."

“We are not leaving the streets until this attempted murder is brought to justice. We will not leave the ground of our movement until our demands are met,” he said.

Meanwhile, around 250 quota protesters have been injured in clashes with Bangladesh Chhatra League activists at Dhaka University campus, students and hospital sources say.

The attack and counter-attack started around 2:15 pm, when a group of quota protesters went to “Hall Para” of Dhaka University from the Raju Sculpture to gather students for their rally. - UNB