The Institute of Health Technology authorities in Rajshahi on Wednesday announced closure of the educational institution for an indefinite period after a group of activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling Awami League, beat up a student on the campus over reported seat-trade.
Meanwhile, at least ten people were injured as two factions of BCL clashed at Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College in Bogura Wednesday night.
鈥楾he institution was declared closed and students were asked to leave the dormitories for the ongoing heatwave situation and water crisis, as well as for a commotion among the students over a student being beaten,鈥� said Farhana Haque, principal of Rajshahi IHT.
She said that they had also formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the allegation of beating of the student.
On Monday, a group of BCL activists beat up Md Hasan, a first-year student of pharmacy department, reportedly for demanding his money, he gave to IHT unit BCL president Al Amin Akash for a seat in the dormitory, back.
Md Hasan, undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, said that he paid Tk 16,000 to Akash for a seat in the dormitory but he was not given the promised seat.
On July 26, followers of Akash beat up Abu Sayeed, a student of physiotherapy department, after he had demanded Tk 8,000, he gave to Akash for a seat in the dormitory, back.
Abu Sayeed alleged that he paid the money to the BCL leader through a teacher of the institution.
BCL activists also assaulted two other students 鈥� Swapan and Shamim 鈥� for disclosing the assault on Sayeed.
Contacted, BCL leader Akash denied the allegations against him, and claimed that no BCL activist or leader was involved in seat trade on the campus.
Principal Farhana Haque, however, said that no one was yet to complain about the seat trade on the campus.
Following the clash at SZMC, additional police personnel were deployed on the campus to avoid any untoward incident.
There had been a long standing dispute between two groups 鈥� one led by SZMC unit BCL president Saisob Roy and general secretary Mehedi Hasan and another led by immediate past general secretary Mofazzal Hossain 鈥� over establishing supremacy on the campus, witnesses said.
Ashraful Islam, joint-secretary of SZMC BCL unit and also a follower of Mofazzal, alleged that on the instruction of Saisob Roy, his followers beat up their activists and vandalised six of their rooms.
However, Saisob Roy claimed that Mofazzal鈥檚 followers beat up his eight followers and vandalised their two rooms.
SZMC principal Rezaul Alam said that they had formed a five-member probe committee to investigate the incident.
鈥榃e have asked the committee to submit its report within seven working days and will take necessary actions as recommended by the committee, he added.
