The Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) central committee has formed a two-member probe body to investigate the attack on journalists on the Rajshahi University (RU) campus.
The decision was announced in a press release issued by the organisation’s central committee on Sunday night.
The committee is headed by JCD central Vice-Presidents A B M Ejajul Kabir Ruel and Monjurul Alam Riyad.
It has been directed to complete a proper investigation into the untoward incident on the RU campus and submit a written report to the central executive within the next 24 hours.
The investigation body was formed under the instructions of JCD central President Rakibul Islam Rakib and General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir.
The probe follows a brutal attack that occurred on Sunday at around 8:30pm in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall at Rajshahi University.
According to eyewitnesses, university unit JCD leaders and activists, armed with local weapons including cleavers (ramda), machetes (chapati), hockey sticks, pipes, and baseball bats, took position in front of the hall following a dispute over a comment on a Facebook post.
The activists attacked four journalists and several other students, leaving them severely injured, as the journalists were gathering news and discharging their professional duties.
The injured journalists are Mainul Islam Raju of Dainik Samakal, Noor Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star, Arifuazzaman Korban of bdnews24.com, and Jahidul Islam of Agamir Somoy, who sustained a severe head injury.
Eyewitnesses reported that the attackers issued severe threats, including warnings of “burying” the journalists.
At least 10 leaders and activists directly participated in the assault, including university unit JCD Vice-Presidents Ahsan Habib and Shariful Islam, Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam, and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam.
The injured were initially taken to the University Medical Centre and subsequently transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) for advanced treatment.
NCP condemns attack
In a statement issued on Sunday, the National Citizen Party (NCP) strongly condemned the barbaric attack and demanded exemplary punishment for those involved.
The party’s Media Cell stated that armed terrorist activities by political activists in a centre of knowledge and free thinking like a university are entirely unacceptable.
It stressed that the university administration cannot evade responsibility for failing to guarantee press freedom and student safety.
The NCP demanded the immediate arrest and stern punishment of the involved JCD activists under both party and state laws.
It also called for the immediate restoration of full security and an unhindered environment for free expression for general students and media personnel on university campuses.
The party added that students and citizens, alongside the entire nation, will firmly resist all forms of campus terrorism and extortion.
