BCL men manhandle teachers at SUST

Bangladesh Chatra League (BCL) activists have attacked teachers in Sylhet’s Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).
A faction of pro-Awami League teachers have been demonstrating for the last few months for the VC’s removal.
On Sunday, they came under attack from the activists of the BCL, which is the student affiliate of the ruling Awami League.
The teacher’s faction ‘Mohan Muktijuddher Chetanay Udbuddha Shikshak Parishad’ had announced plans for a sit-in protest in front of the administrative building between 9am and 5pm on Sunday.
Meanwhile, VC Aminul Haque Bhuiyan convened an Academic Council meeting at 3pm, triggering tension in the campus.
Around 5:30am, activists of SUST unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), who have been supporting the VC, gathered in front of the administrative building.
Demonstrating teachers began to arrive around 7:30 am.
About an hour later, BCL activists snatched away a banner from the teachers before shoving and pushing them away from the place.
Even as the teachers were manhandled, the VC entered the building and went to his office on the first floor.
BCL’s SUST unit President Sanjeevan Chakravarty Partha and General Secretary Imran Khan were seen standing at least 30 feet away from the spot when the teachers were being manhandled.
SUST Proctor Kamrul Hasan and Students’ Welfare Advisor Rahsed Talukder were also seen standing at a distance and neither tried restrain the BCL activists.
Local police OC Aktar Hossain was seen standing between the teachers and BCL activists, pleading all to calm down, but the BCL activists did not respond to the appeal by the police officer.
They pushed and manhandled the agitating teachers after the VC went to his office in an effort to break up the protest.
Physics teacher Yasmeen Haque fell down during the scuffle. A BCL activist was seen kicking another teacher during that time.
The teachers’ group convener Syed Shamsul Islam said that at least seven teachers were injured.
“Chattra League activists attacked us…the VC instigated the students to attack us,” he told. Police, however, refused comment.
“You have seen what happened. I will not say a single word on this matter. No comments,” is what Jalalabad police OC Aktar Hossain, who was present at the spot, he told that. The BCL says that it was not an organisational decision to stop demonstrating teachers.
SUST BCL unit President Partha told That.“Those who joined (to stop demonstrating teachers) exercised personal choice, it was not the organisation’s decision,”