RU keeps failing to stop campus violence
Rajshahi University authorities have repeatedly failed to protect students and journalists from violence on campus since August 2024, even with proctorial officials or teachers present.
Highlights-
- Latest attack leaves at least 10 injured, including four journalists
- Proctor admits failure to control latest attack, says police fled
- RU removes Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall provost after protest
- Four earlier attacks took place in the presence of officials
Rajshahi University authorities have repeatedly failed to protect students and journalists from violence on campus since August 2024, even with proctorial officials or teachers present.
The latest incident occurred on Sunday night, when at least 10 people, including four campus journalists, were injured in an attack by leaders and activists of the university unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal near Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall.
The injured journalists were Nur Ahsan Mridul of The Daily Star, Zahidul Islam of Agamir Shomoy, Arifuzzaman Korban of bdnews24.com and Mainul Islam Raju of Samakal.
Proctor Prof Mahbubur Rahman had reached the scene before the journalists were attacked. “We failed. We could not control the situation. We called the police, but the police fled in fear,” he said.
Around 1:00am yesterday, following an hour-long protest by students and journalists, the university removed Prof Md Mahbubar Rahman as provost of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall.
It also ordered its five-member probe committee to submit its report within three days. The matter is expected to go before the Syndicate on Thursday.
Video footage reviewed by The Daily Star identified Ahsan Habib, Shariful Islam, Takbir Ahmed Emon, Hasibul Islam Hasib, Shahriar Alam Othi, Syed Sajharul Islam and Bishal Chakraborty among those involved in the attack, although none was named in the case filed by the university.
Meanwhile, central Chhatra Dal on Monday night expelled three RU unit members and issued show-cause notices to six others.
Meanwhile, journalists at Chittagong University, Khulna University, Jashore University of Science and Technology, University of Barishal, Jamalpur Science and Technology University and Begum Rokeya University formed separate human chains yesterday to protest the attack on RU journalists and demand punishment for those responsible.
A Daily Star review found four other incidents since August 2024 in which students or journalists were attacked despite university officials being present or attempting to intervene.
Students and teachers interviewed by this newspaper blamed the recurring violence on a lack of accountability, the failure to punish those responsible for earlier incidents and political influence over the university administration.
Contacted, Prof Mahbubur said the “wave” of the 2024 uprising was still influencing young people. He said police were available when needed but were less proactive.
“They arrive at the scene and simply stand there. These challenges are mainly why the problems keep recurring.”
EARLIER ATTACKS AT RU
On July 27, Rucsu General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar and Assistant General Secretary SM Salman Sabbir allegedly assaulted student Md Anas in the proctor’s office after accusing him of being a Chhatra League activist.
Prof Mahbubur intervened and later escorted Anas, Md Mahmudul Hasan Mahin and another student to the Central Library. Rucsu leaders and Chhatra Shibir activists allegedly pushed past him and beat the students.
Mahin was attacked again as Assistant Proctor Prof Gias Uddin and senior teachers were taking him to hospital. He was pulled from an ambulance and beaten before police intervened.
On June 18, journalists Maruf Hossain Mishon, Zubair Jisan and Abu Bakar Anik, along with Rucsu leaders SM Salman Sabbir and Imran Laskar, were assaulted near Rabindranath Tagore Academic Building for filming alleged ragging.
Prof Mahbubur and Marketing Department Chairman Prof Md Borak Ali went to the scene to mediate, but the group was assaulted on the way to the proctor’s office.
On May 27, 2025, members of the Anti-Shahbagh Union, described in reports as mostly RU Shibir members, clashed with left-leaning activists at Paribahan Chattar while proctorial officials were present.
Assistant Proctor Prof Nasir Uddin later said, “The proctorial body tried to control the situation, but it got out of hand.”
On November 18, 2024, students of the Law and Marketing departments clashed after a football match, leaving at least 30 injured, including teacher Mahfuzur Rahman and journalist Abu Saleh Shoaib.
Shoaib alleged that Marketing Department students beat him while he was filming. University officials and teachers tried to intervene, but the clashes continued until police and army personnel were deployed.
The RU incidents come amid a broader rise in political violence and attacks on journalists nationwide.
The Human Rights Support Society recorded 830 incidents of political violence from January to June, up from 529 in the same period a year earlier. It also documented 200 incidents involving 383 journalists, compared with 152 incidents involving 257 journalists in the same period last year.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY
Shamin Tripura, a member of the RU unit of the Democratic Students’ Alliance, said students had expected a democratic environment after 2024, but the administration had failed to tackle violence effectively.
“Since those involved are repeatedly getting away without facing consequences, no effective action is being taken. That is why we are seeing attacks on political activists and journalists.”
Shah Poran, a journalism student at RU, said, “If the administration had ensured punishment for those responsible, these incidents would not have been repeated. From that perspective, the administration and the proctorial body have completely failed.”
Prof A Al Mamun of the Mass Communication and Journalism Department alleged that some university administrations and right-wing teachers were complicit in allowing student organisations to act with impunity. He also said political allegiance in proctorial appointments could lead to bias.
“There should be no political blindness. We need to move away from the culture of political allegiance and nepotism that has been practised for a long time.”
Several university inquiries have faced lengthy delays. As of August 1, three committees formed to investigate separate incidents involving Rucsu GS Salahuddin Ammar had yet to submit reports, although two had been formed more than a year earlier. University authorities attributed the delays to procedural reasons.
Contacted for comment, RU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Administration) Prof Md Abdul Alim declined to comment.
The Daily Star also tried to reach RU Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Faridul Islam by phone, but he did not respond. This newspaper also visited his office but could not meet him.
