Play store
A leader of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) at Rajshahi University was allegedly involved in and led an attack on journalists on the campus, with multiple videos purportedly showing him taking part in the assault.
M Ahsan Habib, vice-president of the university unit of the JCD, was seen leading a group of activists during the attack near Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall on Sunday night, according to injured journalists and video footage of the incident.
At least 10 people, including four journalists, were injured in the attack. Witnesses said some of the attackers were carrying local weapons and sticks.
According to university sources, tension erupted near Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall following an exchange of remarks between RAKSU Assistant Cultural Affairs Secretary Rakibul Islam and JCD vice-president Ahsan Habib.
At one stage, several JCD activists gathered at the scene, some of whom were allegedly carrying local weapons.
When journalists began recording the incident, they were allegedly obstructed. Several journalists were subsequently assaulted and attempts were made to snatch their mobile phones, according to the injured journalists.
Journalists from The Daily Star, bdnews24.com, Samakal and Agamir Shomoy were among those injured in the attack.
The injured journalists alleged that Habib led the attackers and was accompanied by several other JCD leaders and activists.
In a Facebook post following the incident, Habib denied that any “neutral journalist” had been attacked.
He claimed that journalists whom he described as “Shibir activists in disguise” had attempted to attack aggrieved JCD activists when they went to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall to apprehend Ariful, the hall general secretary, whom he accused of making derogatory remarks about the prime minister.
Habib said the journalists were merely “resisted”, rejecting the allegation that neutral journalists had been attacked.
