Rajshahi University Student Union Leaders Threaten Journalists Over Campus Violence Coverage
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Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RAKSU) leadership has issued a stern warning to local journalists, accusing media outlets of biased reporting following a series of violent clashes on campus. During a press conference held at the RAKSU office on Tuesday evening, Vice President Mostakur Rahman Jahid criticized coverage of recent confrontations, specifically rebuking journalists for their choice of terminology and suggesting that future disciplinary measures could be taken against media outlets deemed to be favoring the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
The conference was convened in response to an incident on Monday afternoon, where members of the student union were allegedly attacked at the RAKSU office. Addressing the media, Jahid rejected reports describing the subsequent retaliation by student activists as an “attack,” insisting that the actions were a necessary “act of resistance.” He accused the press of displaying misplaced sympathy toward the BCL, an organization that remains banned in Bangladesh.
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The RAKSU leadership utilized the platform to present a six-point list of demands, calling for administrative action against those who threatened a female student, the arrest and prosecution of individuals involved in the RAKSU office assault, and an end to the misuse of political identities on campus. They further demanded that the university administration ensure student safety and pursue justice for past incidents of torture allegedly linked to former BCL members.
Tensions escalated on Monday when accusations surfaced that Anas, Hasib, and Mahmudul Hasan—identified by RAKSU as BCL activists—assaulted RAKSU General Secretary Salauddin Ammar and Information and Research Secretary B.M. Nazmus Sakib. In the ensuing chaos, the accused individuals sought refuge in the university’s central library, where they were reportedly followed by RAKSU members and activists from Islami Chhatra Shibir. Witnesses reported that the students were beaten repeatedly inside the library premises, prompting criticism regarding the disruption of academic activities.
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RAKSU leaders dismissed these concerns as exaggerated, asserting that no library users had personally complained about the brief interruption to their studies. General Secretary Salauddin Ammar emphasized that the union would pursue accountability regardless of political affiliation, noting that those responsible for the violence would be held to account, whether they be affiliated with the BCL, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), or other political factions.
The conflict originated from a dispute involving a student from the Department of Sanskrit, who reported that she had been threatened by a classmate after rejecting his romantic advances. Following a series of confrontations at the Proctor’s office, the situation spiraled into the physical altercations at the RAKSU building and library. In the aftermath, university authorities have formed a five-member committee to investigate the violence, with a mandate to submit a report within 10 working days. Two of the students involved in the clashes, Anas and Mahmudul Hasan, have since been arrested in connection with a case filed regarding the activities of the banned student organization.
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