Chhatra Shibir condemns JCD attack on students, journalists at Rajshahi University

RU Correspondent: Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has strongly condemned and protested the alleged armed attack by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) activists on students at Shahid Ziaur Rahman Hall of Rajshahi University and the assault on journalists covering the incident.In a joint statement issued on Sunday, Shibir Central President Nurul Islam and Secretary General Sibgatullah condemned the incident, in which journalists from 6 to 7 media outlets including Daily Samakal, The Daily Star, http://bdnews24.com and Agamir Somoy were allegedly beaten and injured while filming and collecting news of the attack.In the statement, the leaders said, “In the new Bangladesh after the uprising, such brutal attacks on journalists to stifle the voice of the media cannot be accepted in any way. The incident of brutally beating journalists performing their professional duties in the presence of university administration, injuring them and threatening to ‘bury them alive’ is extremely alarming. This heinous attack by JCD leaders and activists proves that they want to re-establish the politics of terror and occupation on the campus.”The statement added, “An armed showdown with local weapons including ramda, chapati, hockey sticks and pipes in a sacred place of learning like a university and injuring general students and media workers can in no way be part of healthy student politics. This despicable attack by Chhatra Dal is not only an attack on free media, but also a direct attack on coexistence on campus, the normal environment of education and the safety of students.”The leaders further said, “Earlier too, incidents of attacks on students and journalists by Chhatra Dal leaders and activists have taken place in various campuses. The repetition of similar incidents proves that Chhatra Dal has made pushing student politics towards violence, occupation and intolerance part of its party agenda. Such activities are disrupting the normal environment of education and the safety of students. At the same time, by obstructing journalists from performing their professional duties, the opportunity to independently publish campus events in the media is being curtailed. Such terrorist behaviour has no place in a democratic and free environment.”In the statement, the Shibir leaders demanded immediate identification and arrest of the JCD leaders and activists involved in the attack and exemplary punishment through legal action. They also demanded ensuring proper treatment for the injured students and journalists, an impartial investigation into the incident and bringing to account those who were present during the attack but failed to play an effective role in controlling the situation.