Clicky
National, Back Page

JU authorities file case against 250


Published : 21 Feb 2021 09:17 PM | Updated : 22 Feb 2021 12:18 AM

The Jahangirnagar University authorities have filed a case at Ashulia police station against a total of 250 people in connection with the attack on JU students on Friday night. 

JU proctor A S M Firoz Ul-Hasan and security officer Jefrul Hasan Chowdhury Sajal confirmed the matter to the Bangladesh Post.  

At least 50 students were injured when the locals of Gerua village attacked students with metal rods, sticks and other lethal weapons. 

According to sources, the clash between the students and locals broke out over a cricket match dispute. 

An quarrel between a JU Chhatra League activist and some locals took place during the match which was held on February 11. 

Over the incident, the locals amassed people by inviting them to join in the fight. They used loudspeakers of a local mosque to gather the crowd.

“The students of Jahangirnagar were coming and rob us here. We must resist and protect ourselves. Such an announcement was heard from loudspeakers,” said one of the villagers. 

Responding to the announcement, the villagers attacked JU students and set fire to five motorcycles on Friday evening. At around 7:30 pm, a group of students gathered there and launched a counter-attack, said police.

A day after the attack, students of the university staged a demonstration from the university's Central Shaheed Minar premises and took position in front of the vice-chancellor's residence.  

Later, they placed four-point demands including reopening of halls and providing full facilities at the dormitories, paying the medical expenses of the injured students, construction of a permanent wall adjacent to Gerua village area for security concern and arresting the attackers within seven days. 

The university authorities agreed with all the demands, except reopening of the halls.

JU acting proctor A S M Firoz Ul Hasan said, “The issue of reopening of the halls is not in our hands. If the government orders us to open the halls, we will obey.”

Following the proctor's remarks, the angry students went furious and broke open the locks of Al Beruni hall, then they broke open the lock of all sixteen other halls one by one. 

Later, on Sunday morning the students gave an ultimatum to the administration to file a case against the attackers within 24 hours.   

In a press conference at the university's transport yard on Sunday around 1.00 pm the students said, hundreds of students became shelterless after the clash. The students who were previously staying at Gerua Bazar due to the closure of the university amid the COVID-19 pandemic, have left their rented rooms fearing more attacks and some of them are still under house arrest.  

They also placed a six-point demand at the conference.  

They demanded all hostages in Gerua Bazar must be brought to a safe place under police protection. 

They also demanded a quick investigation of the barbaric attack and arrest of the attackers in connection with the attack.  

Their demands to the university authorities include, providing compensation to all the affected students, providing full facilities at the halls. The safety of all students is also demanded.

Meanwhile, the JU unit Chhatra League, Chhatra Dal, Students Union, Socialist Students Front and alliance of cultural organizations - Jahangirnagar Sanskritik Jote, strongly condemned the attack and expressed solidarity in a written statement.