CU deadlock spills to 5th day

A deadlock in Chittagong University (CU) caused by an internal feud of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) continued for the 5th day. One faction of the university unit of the BCL has enforced a non-stop blockade in protest against the ‘harassment’ of an Awami League leader, while the other has gone on an indefinite strike, demanding action against blockade-enforcers. The faction led by Amit Kumar Basu began the blockade on May 7 to protest the ‘harassment’ of Awami League leader Nasir Haider Chowdhury Babul while attending a meeting to honour the late Vice Chancellor Abu Yusuf in April. Babul was a former general secretary of CU’s BCL unit. The central BCL expelled five activists of CU unit for their involvement in the incident. The university administration claimed discussions were being held with both factions to end the impasse, but no positive sign was evident. On the second day of the blockade, one train driver and two constables of the railway police were injured in the attacks by its supporters. Later on Saturday, the blockade supporters lobbed a handmade bomb in Sholoshohor Railway Station in the port city in the morning. BCL university unit Vice-President Shahdat Hossain claimed that Babul was attacked at the instigation of the CU proctor. The blockade would continue until the proctor quits, he said, according to bdnews24.com.