Bangladesh Chhatra League dissolves Jahangirnagar University unit..........

Bangladesh Chhatra League Tuesday dissolved its Jahangirnagar University unit after bloody clashes Monday, the BCL president told us.

Mahmud Hasan Ripon, the BCL president, said those who perpetrated the violence would be disciplined by the organisation.

He said they asked university authorities to take academic and legal actions against the perpetrators.

The general secretary of the dissolved committee, Mahmud Naser Johnny, said the central body was yet to inform them of the decision.

"I, however, heard about the dissolution of the committee from people," Johnny said.

Azibur Rahman, a BCL leader of Moulana Bhasani Hall, welcomed the dissolution.

"The central body has taken a well thought-out decision. Now there will be a new committee here, and we hope that will be led by honest, competent and regular students," Azibur said.

Naming his rivals Azibur and Ayon, Johnny said, "With the break-up of the committee, the motive of the conspirators became successful."

Central leaders of the Awami League-backed student body initially suspended BCL activities at the university for a month on Jan. 18 following clashes with other student bodies.

Two BCL factions, whose activities were banned on the campus following violence last month, fought gun battles Monday, witnesses said.

The clashes sparked off between one BCL group occupying four of the halls on the campus and another "rebel" group occupying two other halls, they added.

At least five people took bullets and 16 others received other injuries during the firefight, witnesses said.

One feuding faction of Jahangirnagar University's unit took control of all the residential halls Tuesday in defiance of a central committee decision on suspension of its activities on the campus.

Reached for his reaction, acting vice-chancellor Prof Md Muniruzzaman declined comments, saying it was an internal affair of the BCL