Protests over BCL man's murder halt port city

A student of Premier University, Chittagong was allegedly killed by his rivals in Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday, triggering a huge protest that kept the port city almost crippled for about five hours till the evening.

After the death of Nasim Ahmed Sohel, an MBA student and member of BCL's Chittagong city unit, thousands of students and BCL activists took to the streets.

The protesters vandalised the university campuses in Prabartak and Wasa intersections and damaged at least 10 CNG-run auto-rickshaws and six private cars. A correspondent of The Daily Star witnessed the incidents.

Chawkbazar police arrested four students of the university over the murder but did not disclose their names.

During the demonstration, the students, mostly BCL activists, shouted slogans against Chittagong city Awami League President Mohiuddin Chowdhury, accusing him of the murder.

Sohel was said to have been loyal to Chittagong city Awami League General Secretary and Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, the intra-party rival of Mohiuddin.

The murder was centred around a conflict between two groups of students who tried to organise a farewell programme, scheduled for tomorrow. Some from the warring groups were also members of the city BCL. Masud Rana, a 23rd batch of BBA student, who belongs to the group of Sohel, filed a general diary (GD) on March 20, saying some of his classmates led by Tamim, Tasrif, Mostafa and Mejbah and unknown people threatened the general students on March 13 and asked them not to organise the programme without their knowledge.

When Sohel and some others were rehearsing on the Wasa intersection campus yesterday, unknown people attacked them, around 12:30pm. "One of the attackers stabbed Sohel five times, leaving him seriously injured," said a witness.

They also attacked the other students who were taking Sohel to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). He was declared dead there around 2:30pm.

Mayenur Rahman Mayen, a joint general secretary of the city BCL, said the students wanted to make the vice chancellor chief guest at the programme, but the other group wanted Mohiuddin as chief guest.

He said, "Mohiuddin's followers committed the murder."

He also alleged that police did not take any security measure despite filing of the GD.

Mohiuddin denied knowing anything about the matter. "Even I have no idea what kind of programme they were going to arrange," he said. "I heard of the murder in the media."

Mayor Nasir visited the protest scene around 6:30pm and asked the demonstrators to leave. He also visited CMCH to see Sohel's body.

Sohel was a very good boy, Nasir said. "He had come to me and requested me to be chief guest but I regretted because of a prescheduled programme," he said.

Nasir declined to comment when asked about the allegation against Mohiuddin.

Agitated students take to the street at Prabartak intersection of Chittagong city yesterday, protesting the murder of a student of Premier University, Chittagong, Nasim Ahmed Sohel, allegedly over a factional clash among members of Bangladesh Chhatra League. Photo: Star

PUBLIC SUFFERINGS

When the protest was underway, the entire city almost came to a standstill because barricades were put in Cement Crossing, Panchlaish, Khulshi, Polytechnic Institute, Bayezid Bostami Road, Anderkilla, Bandar, Chittagong Medical College gate, Gol Pahar intersection, Akbar Shah intersection, Sholashahar Gate No 2, and Wasa intersection areas.

Patients suffered immensely in Prabartak area, which is close to CMCH.

"My brother was vomiting continuously, so I was taking him to CMCH but I could not because students blocked the road," said Sanjida Begum of Panchlaish.

She then took him to a private hospital.

For a halt in vehicular movement, people had to walk long distances.

Rowshan Ara Hossain, a teacher, walked 4km from Agrabad to her home at Sholashahar.

Sohel's father breaks down in tears after hearing the news of his son's death. Photo: Star

Stuck in the protest scene, auto-rickshaw driver Mamun Miah was tense as the windshield of his vehicle was vandalised. "The owner will blame me, saying I was not intelligent enough to tackle the situation," he said. "He may take a share off my daily income as demurrage."

Vehicular movement got back to normal around 7:00pm.

Vice Chancellor Prof Anupam Sen said the university was closed till further announcement.