A fierce controversy has erupted at Rajshahi University following a violent assault on working journalists by leaders and activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. At least ten media professionals were injured during the unprovoked attack while discharging their professional duties on campus, with four sustaining severe injuries requiring medical attention.
In the immediate aftermath of the incident, serious allegations surfaced against Professor Mahbubur Rahman, the provost of the residential hall where the clashes occurred. Student journalists and campus media organisations accused the provost of deliberately deleting closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to shield the political perpetrators from legal and disciplinary consequences.
According to eyewitnesses and victims, the assault was spearheaded by key leaders of the university’s JCD unit, including Vice-Presidents Ahsan Habib and Shariful Islam, Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam, and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam. Among those severely injured were Arif Uzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com, Zahidul Islam of Agamirr Somoy, Nur Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star, and Mainul Islam Raju representing the Daily Samakal.
Seeking to identify the attackers and ensure swift administrative action, representatives from the campus press requested access to the hall’s surveillance system. When the provost refused to cooperate or provide the video logs, concerned journalists, fearing the crucial evidence might be tampered with, unmounted and secured the CCTV hard drive themselves, promising to return the hardware after retrieving the data. However, subsequent forensic inspection of the hard drive revealed that all recordings corresponding to the timeframe of the attack had been completely wiped clean.
Ashikul Islam, President of the Rajshahi University Press Club, expressed deep indignation over the findings, stating that the surveillance records were intentionally erased under the direct supervision of the hall provost to protect the offending political cadres. He urged the university administration to establish a high-level inquiry commission to investigate both the physical violence against journalists and the systematic destruction of digital evidence.
Denying the allegations, Provost Professor Mahbubur Rahman asserted that the CCTV system had been disconnected due to ongoing structural renovation work in the hall, claiming that no footage was generated or erased. Meanwhile, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Professor Dr Abdul Alim assured the media that a formal investigation would proceed regardless, emphasizing that alternative evidence exists and that the university administration remains committed to bringing the culprits to justice.
