CU Chhatra League faction locks university’s main gate; classes and exams postponed

A faction of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) of the Chittagong University (CU) unit, who couldn't secure posts in the recently announced full committee of the unit, locked the university's main gate on Monday (1 August). As a result classes and exams have been postponed. 

"It is not possible to conduct the examination if the shuttle train is not running. I have asked the examination committee chairmen of various departments to conduct the exams after the campus calms down," CU Examination Controller Chowdhury Amir Mohammad told The Business Standard. 

The full committee of CU branch of BCL was announced after three years on Sunday (31 July) in a press release signed by Chhatra League President Al Nahian Khan Joy, and General Secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee.

Following the announcement of the full committee, leaders and workers of a section of the BCL, who didn't get any posts called for a blockade and demanded the reorganisation of the committee.

They started a protest at Suhrawardy Hall intersection of the campus. Then at 1:30am they locked the main gate of the campus. They also demanded the removal of Mohammad Elias, a BCL leader who got the post of joint general secretary in the new committee.

Several rooms in the university's Suhrawardy Hall, Shah Amanat Hall and AF Rahman Hall were vandalised. 

Nazrul Islam Sabuj, leader of the agitating group, who got the post of vice-president in the full committee, said, "There are many self-sacrificing, hardworking and qualified boys who are missing from the committee. They have called a blockade to demand their assessment." 

Meanwhile, due to the blockade, no buses of teachers, officials and employees left the campus for the city. The driver of the university-bound shuttle train has reportedly been abducted. As a result train service is stopped.