4 journalists among 10 injured in Chhatra Dal attack at Rajshahi University

At least 10 people, including four journalists, were injured after leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal attacked reporters and students with crude weapons on the Rajshahi University campus on Sunday night.

The injured journalists were identified as Jahidul Islam of Agamir Shomoy, Noor Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star, Arifuzzaman Qurban of bdnews24.com and Mainul Islam Raju of Samakal.

All four received initial treatment at the university medical centre, where Jahidul was subsequently referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital after sustaining head fractures.

Witnesses and victim correspondents identified the key attackers as RU JCD vice-president Ahsan Habib, joint general Secretary Hasibul Islam, vice-president Shariful Islam, and Assistant office secretary Shahriar Alam.

According to eyewitnesses, JCD leaders and activists marched from the university's Paribahan Market to the residential hall area at around 8:00pm, allegedly intending to assault RU Central Students’ Union hall general secretary Ariful Islam. Several attackers were armed with machetes, cleavers, hockey sticks, iron pipes, and baseball bats.

Upon the arrival of RU Proctor Mahbubur Rahman, the JCD activists concealed their weapons. However, when campus correspondents approached to record video footage, JCD men assaulted Raju and attempted to snatch the mobile phone of Daily Ajker Patrika correspondent Din Islam. The bdnews24.com correspondent was also assaulted.

The proctor subsequently escorted the journalists inside a nearby hall and locked the doors for their protection. As news of the assault spread, additional journalists arrived at the scene, whereupon The Daily Star correspondent Nur Ahsan Mridul and Agamir Shomoy correspondent Jahidul Islam were attacked. Other reporters attempting to intervene were threatened with being ‘buried alive’, witnesses added.

Contacted, RU JCD president Sultan Ahmed Rahi stated that he had briefed the party’s central committee on the incident and promised organisational action against those responsible.

Expressing helplessness, RU proctor Mahbubur Rahman said, ‘We have failed. We could not control the situation. We called the police, but they also fled in fear.’

The violence reportedly stemmed from a social media feud between JCD leader Ahsan Habib and RUCSU general secretary Salahuddin Ammar. Habib alleged that RUCSU assistant cultural secretary Rakibul Islam had insulted his mother and sister in a Facebook comment—a claim Rakibul denied, alleging instead that Habib had threatened him.

The dispute escalated after hall general secretary Ariful Islam posted on Facebook criticising the presence of armed JCD activists near the halls, accusing them of engaging in campus terrorism. Following the post, JCD members gathered near the hall equipped with rods, pipes, and cleavers, culminating in the violent clash.