Barisal Medical College closed sine die

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BARISAL, Apr 17 (UNB): Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (BSBMC) was closed today (Friday) for an indefinite period following clashes between rival factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on the campus.
Meanwhile, students of all the five hostels - three of male and two of female - left their dormitories Friday morning following an order by the college authorities.
BSBMC Principal Md Abu Taher said the order of closure of the college and vacating the halls was issued to avoid untoward incidents.
All examinations of the college were postponed until further notice, he said.
The academic council earlier held a meeting to discuss the situation on the college campus, the principal said.
The college authorities would form a probe committee in this connection on the next working day, he said adding that abduction of a student was also reported.
Police and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have been deployed on the campus to avert further trouble.
Students and college sources said two groups of BCL workers, one led by college unit BCL president Abu Jafar and the other by Ramiz Ahmed and SM Sayem, first locked into a clash at about 9:00pm Thursday over establishing supremacy.
Later, outsiders joined the clash that lasted for about four hours. Didar, Saif, Tanvir and Al Amin of Jafar group were injured in the clash.
Jafar group alleged that the opponent abducted Rabiul Islam, a student of 35th batch.
The feuding groups also ransacked eight rooms of Jamilur Reza Pappu Hall and the college library.
In the wake of the rampage, the college authorities have called in RAB and police forces to restore normalcy on the campus.
Local Awami League (AL) leader Abul Hasanat Abdullah allegedly supported the Abu Jafar group while Barisal city AL convener and Mayor Shawkat Hossain Hiron backed the Ramiz-Sayem group.
President of Internee Doctors Association Ramiz Ahmed and another BCL leader SM Sayem, however, denied the allegation of abducting a student belonging to their rival group.
Abu Jafar blamed the rival group for creating chaos on the campus. He dismissed the allegation of ransacking hostel rooms.
Ziaur Rahman Zia, city BCL convener, claimed that the BSBMC committee of BCL had been dissolved and all activities of the unit suspended one month ago. So, Chhatra League is not responsible for the day's incident, he claimed.
Barisal Mayor and city AL convener Shawkat Hossain Hiron, who is also a resident of an area adjacent to the BSBMC, has strongly denied his involvement with the BCL factional clashes.