Don't ask BCL men to pass the salt

A group of activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) allegedly beat up a journalist on Dhaka University campus yesterday.

HM Imran Hossain, DU correspondent of online news portal report24.com and also a third year student of mass communication and journalism, was taken to the university medical centre for primary treatment.

Some five to seven BCL activists of Ziaur Rahamn Hall unit of DU, led by the hall BCL acting general secretary Bani Amin, beat up Imran as he requested Amin to pass salt while taking lunch at the hall canteen, said the victim.

Imran's roommate Farid Molla, an MBA student of the finance department, told The Daily Star, "We requested them to pass the salt bowl modestly, but the BCL activists beat up and drove us out of the canteen."

"They slapped, punched and kicked me... I submitted a written complaint to the hall provost," Imran said.

BCL leader Amin said, "I did not beat anyone; I only requested Imran to leave the canteen because he was being insolent."

After the incident, BCL and Dhaka University Journalists' Association (DUJA) held a meeting, where Motahar Hossain Prince, general secretary of DU unit of BCL, slapped and rebuked some of the accused.

Prince and DUJA president Asifur Rahman requested the hall provost to take action against the culprits.

"I will drive the accused out of the hall as they damage my and BCL's image," Prince said.

The hall provost, Prof Ziaur Rahman, told The Daily Star that the accused would be punished after an investigation and a meeting with the house tutors of the hall.