Attack By 'outsiders' Protested

Punish culprits, demand Sylhet medical students

14 March 2009, 18:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Sylhet

Students of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College yesterday boycotted classes and put the office of the principal under lock and key for three hours from 11:00am protesting attack on some of their fellows by outsiders on the college playground on Friday. They also demanded arrest of the attackers including the younger brother of local ward councillor Abdur Raquib Bablu. A group of about 20 young men, led by councilor's brother Lablu, went to the playgound Friday afternoon, stopped the ongoing cricket tournament and beat up some students of the college. They also threatened the students of serious consequences if they tried to resume the tournament, which was inaugurated by college Principal Abul Ahbab on March 7. The agitating students unlocked the principal's office at around 2:00pm and submitted a memorandum containing a four-point demand to the principal. The students urged the principal to meet the demands within the next 24 hours. Otherwise, they threatened to launch a tougher agitation programme. The demands include immediate arrest of those responsible for Friday's incident, closure of the canteen in front of the emergency department and ban on outsiders' entry into the campus. Receiving the students' memo, the college authorities filed a general diary (GD) with Sylhet Kotwali Police Station, official sources said. The college principal told the newsmen that the outsiders had long been creating trouble for the students on the campus. “We have informed the city mayor of the matter,” he said. Farhad Uddin chowdhury, president of BCL Osmani Medical College unit, said city corporation councillor Abdur Raquib Bablu and his brother have long been creating trouble for the college students. He demanded punishment to those involved in Friday's incident. When contacted, councillor Bablu said the city mayor informed him of the incident.