The Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men who were not included in the newly announced full-fledged committee have allegedly been attacked by the organization’s general secretary and his followers.
The incident occurred around 2:30am on Sunday inside the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC).
As a response to the attack, which left numbers injured, the deprived and higher-post-seeking Chhatra League members have gone on a hunger strike at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture amid rain fall.
Amid the protest, ruling party’s student wing General Secretary Golam Rabbani told protesters, while surrounded by journalists, that he would submit his resignation letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday.
'Deprived' Chhatra League members demand amends
Saif Babu, spokesperson of the deprived Chhatra League faction and also former publicity secretary of the body, said: "We, a ten-member delegation team, went for discussion with the Chhatra League president and general secretary after our discussion with Awami League top-brass.”
"We went there to talk with them regarding the instruction of party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to drop controversial individuals from the newly announced committee of Chhatra League, and also to make amends for the Madhur Canteen incident," he said.
Echoing the same, Rakib Hossain, former program and planning affairs secretary of Chhatra League, said: "Shovon and Rabbani are trying to save the 16 listed controversial inclusions in the new committee. We were trying get answers to our queries from the present Chhatra League president and general secretary."
"Suddenly Rabbani charged BM Lipi Akter – deputy cultural affairs secretary in the new committee, but seeking a higher post – regarding her giving statements against Rabbani at a TV talk show and calling the Chhatra League general secretary, a drug addict.
"Lipi replied saying Rabbani taught her all these as he himself did the same against former Chhatra League President Saifur Rahman Sohag," Rakib added.
Describing what happened during the meeting at TSC, Rakid said: "Lipi's reply made Rabbani furious as he started to abuse her verbally, and then slapped her. Later, followers of Rabbani attacked us."
Chhatra League top brass refuse allegations
Around 3am on Sunday, Chhatra League President Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and General Secretary Golam Rabbani tried to talk with the protestors demonstrating at the base of Raju Memorial Sculpture to contain the escalating situation, but the protesting leaders and members of the organization refused to talk with them.
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Addressing the protestors, Rabbani said: "I am sorry. I will submit my resignation letter to the party president on Sunday."
Denying allegations of attacks, Chhatra League President Shovon told the Dhaka Tribune: "There were some altercation for sure, but no attacks took place."
Echoing the same, Chhatra League General Secretary Golam Rabbani told the Dhaka Tribune: "The protestors are acting. No one was attacked. We had a heated discussion and that is it.”
"The so called 'deprived' Chhatra League members are creating unrest upon the instructions of the special syndicate," he said.
The ruling party student wing president and general secretary assured th protestors that the two attacks will probed within 12 hours starting from Sunday 8am.
On Wednesday, PM Sheikh Hasina – also the chief of the student front – ordered Chhatra League leaders to drop controversial leaders from its recently-announced full-fledged central committee.
The organization announced its 301-member full-fledged central committee on Monday, a year after its National Council was held.
Hours after the announcement, at least 50 leaders and activists were who deprived, as well as did not get their desired posts, organized a press briefing at Madhur Canteen in Dhaka University that evening.
However, hundreds of Chhatra League leaders and activists attacked and foiled the briefing soon after it started. At least 15 left injured.
