Video footage has surfaced identifying multiple leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and a former Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activist directly participating in an armed attack on journalists and students at Rajshahi University (RU). At least six executive members of the university’s JCD unit alongside a former BCL activist were captured wielding domestic weapons during the assault. However, despite clear visual proof identifying the assailants, the university administration filed a legal case against unnamed individuals, sparking widespread outrage among campus journalists and general students.
A detailed examination of the video recordings reveals that the attack was led by RU JCD Vice-President Ahsan Habib (Law department, 2013–14 academic session) and Joint General Secretary Hasibul Islam Hasib (History department, 2017–18 session). The footage also shows former BCL activist Bishal Chakraborty, an alumnus of the Economics department, beating Nur Ehsan Mridul, the university correspondent for The Daily Star, with a wooden stick. Other JCD leaders captured on camera assaulting victims include Vice-President Shariful Islam (Anthropology, 2013–14), Vice-President Takbir Hasan Imon (IBA, 2017–18), Assistant General Secretary Syed Sajharul Islam Saju (Management, 2019–20), and Assistant Office Secretary Shahriar Alam Othi (Music, 2019–20).
Several of the identified JCD figures carry a history of criminal allegations, particularly extortion. On 19 October 2024, Ahsan Habib and Hasibul Islam Hasib were initially suspended and subsequently expelled permanently from the student organisation over extortion charges. Nevertheless, their expulsions were later rescinded, and both were appointed to key executive positions in the newly formed university committee in August 2025. Subsequently, on 24 June 2026, a student lodged formal complaints with the Proctor’s office and Motihar Police Station accusing both leaders of extortion in the nearby Budhpara area. Separately, Vice-President Takbir Hasan Imon and Assistant General Secretary Syed Sajharul Islam Saju were accused in December 2024 of physically assaulting two BCL activists and forcibly extorting BDT 10,100 via digital transfer.
The violent incident occurred on Sunday evening around 8:30 pm in front of Shahid Ziaur Rahman Hall, leaving at least ten people injured. Among the wounded journalists were Nur Ehsan Mridul of The Daily Star, Jahidul Islam of Agamir Samoy, Arifuzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com, and Mainul Islam Raju of Samakal. Following the attack, incensed students and journalists confined Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education) Professor Dr Mamunur Rashid and other senior officials inside the provost’s office for several hours. The protesters demanded the immediate filing of named criminal charges, cancellation of academic enrolments and degrees, a ban on outsiders on campus, and the resignations of the Proctor and Hall Provost for failing to provide security.
Although the administration assured action, Deputy Registrar Monir Hossain of Shahid Ziaur Rahman Hall lodged a case with Motihar Police Station on Monday listing all accused as unidentified persons. Defending the decision, Hall Provost Professor Mahbubur Rahman stated that specific names or political affiliations could not be included in the police complaint without formal police verification. Meanwhile, University Proctor Professor Mahbubur Rahman conceded security failures during the incident, admitting that the proctorial body lost control and that responding police officers fled the scene out of fear. He also denied allegations of wiping CCTV footage from the hall, asserting that cameras were disconnected prior to the incident due to ongoing renovation work.
