'Training' of Shibir members at RU hall rooms create tension

The close-door training was held at television and guestrooms of Nawab Abdul Latif and Shah Mokhdum halls.

This created tension among students on the campus and evoked protest from JCD (Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal), ruling BNP's student front. ICS is the student front of Jamaat-e-Islami.

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RU JCD General Secretary Aslam Reza said the hall provosts allowed holding of the training at dormitory rooms despite their protest.

"ICS held the training on the campus illegally for establishing their supremacy in halls", he alleged. The training was held for the first time on the campus with reported assistance from pro-Jamat teachers.

Some outsider ICS activists guarded the rooms during the training while some others moved on the campus to see if there is any student opinion against the training.

The outsiders outnumbered activists of RU ICS and unidentified Jamat and ICS leaders came in cars and microbuses to attend the training, it was learnt, campus sources said.

Some memebrs of Rajshahi district ICS supplied food to the trainees and stayed at hall mosques at night.

ICS activists on the campus claimed that the training was on teachings of Islam, but others claimed that it was on how to resist attack and fight anti-Islamic forces.

When contacted, RU ICS President Rezaul Islam denied the allegation and said it was 'a kind of council of the party'.

He said they took permission from RU authorities for using the rooms.

Dr Amjad Hossain and Prf Zalal Uddin, provosts of Nawab Abdul latif Hall and Shah Mokhdum Hall respectively admitted that permission was given after consulting the Vice-chancellor and the Proctor.

But Proctor Prof Shamsul Alam said the hall provosts themselves took the decision.