MC College hostel arson: Probe report yet to be made public

Although 2 years have elapsed since after the arson attack on a dormitory of the century-old MC College in Sylhet, the investigation report on the incident has not yet been made public. Sources said the college authorities, police and district administration formed three separate probe bodies after a group of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jubo League activists allegedly set fire to the college hostel burning down at least 48 rooms in its three blocks following a clash with Islami Chhatra Shibir on July 8, 2012. Meanwhile, the probe report prepared by the college authorities is said to have gone missing. The then vice-principal Al Helal Bhuiyan was made the chief of the 5-member probe body formed by the college authority. On completion of investigation, he submitted a probe report to the director general of Directorate of Education Noman-ur-Rashid. Afterwards, Noman-ur-Rashid himself went on retirement while Helal Bhuiyan was transferred from MC College to other one. Asked about the probe report, incumbent college principal Nitai Chandra Chanda said he knows nothing about the probe report. The enquiry committee formed by police is also going through some hurdles. With head of the committee former additional district magistrate Md Shahidul Alam made deputy commissioner of Barisal, activities of the body could not be noticed. Similar situation arose in the works of the probe body formed by Sylhet Metropolitan Police. The investigation went under cover with transfer of the probe body chief former additional commissioner of SMP Abdullah Al Azad Chowdhury to Dhaka, according to UNB.