Diaz murder
BCL activists halt train, bus services
They call off strike later
CU CORRESPONDENT
A section of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists yesterday called off their strike at Chittagong University (CU) following assurance by the vice-chancellor of an impartial probe into the murder of BCL central leader Diaz Irfan Chowdhury. The protesters are mostly supporters of a section of BCL men of the university unit who stand accused in the Diaz murder case. The BCL men enforced the strike for an indefinite period on Monday on various demands that include the immediate release of CU former assistant proctor Anwar Hossain.
Hossain has been sent to jail on Monday after surrender before a Chittagong court. He is also an accused in the case. Their other demands include withdrawal of the murder case against the accused BCL men and finding out the real killers of Diaz. Mohammad Alamgir Tipu, former president of the CU BCL unit and an accused in Diaz murder case, said they have withdrawn the strike following assurance of the CU vice-chancellor.
Earlier in the day, the protesters halted the teachers bus and shuttle train service for students. The move was part of their indefinite blockade in protest against the arrest of a former CU assistant proctor in connection with BCL leader Diaz Irfan Chowdhurys murder case.
On the second day of the blockade, no teachers bus left the campus and no train left the port city for the campus. As a result, the CU authorities had to postpone classes and the ongoing examinations of different departments.
Sources said around 7.30 am, when a shuttle train reached Jhautola station from Battali, some BCL leaders blocked the tracks and disconnected the links of three compartments of the shuttle train. Besides, the protesters locked the main gate of the university around 5am and set tyres ablaze in front of the main entrance.
Several departments had to postpone their final exams. Our second-year final exams were scheduled to be held. But owing to the blockade, the test was postponed, said Russell, a student of the communication and journalism department.
On the condition of anonymity, a security guard of the transport office said: A group of BCL leaders threatened us against running the buses. After that, no bus left the campus.
Prof. Dr Shafiul Azam, who is in charge of the university transport department, confirmed that no teachers bus left the university due to the blockade. The protesters halted a train at Jhautola around 7.30am. Besides, the train, scheduled to leave at 8am, did not leave from Battali, said Shahab Uddin, the station master of Sholashahar railway station. Liton Mitra, the assistant proctor of CU, said: Not one of the demonstrators had been seen on the campus until now. However, to avert further clashes, additional law enforcers have been deployed on the campus. Legal action will be taken against any troublemaker.
The railway communication with the university was disrupted after the BCL men allegedly severed the links of three coaches of a shuttle at Jhautola station in the city, he added. Following Mondays court order to send Anwar Hossain to jail, all the accused BCL leaders and their followers demonstrated at the main gate of the university, demanding the immediate release of the assistant proctor and the withdrawal of the case.
Diaz Irfan Chowdhury, an assistant secretary of the BCL central committee, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at his residence near Gate-2 of CU on the night of November 20 last year.
On July 30, a second autopsy, conducted by the doctors of the forensic medicine department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, stated that Diaz had been murdered. The court ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to conduct an inquiry.
