The Appellate Division of Supreme Court in a landmark verdict strongly denounced martial law and suspension of the country’s constitution, and recommended meting out suitable punishment to the perpetrators.

Upholding the High Court Division’s historic ruling of 2005 that had declared the fifth amendment to the constitution illegal, the apex court also said it is up to the parliament to enact laws to prevent martial law.

“We are putting on record our total disapproval of martial law and suspension of the constitution or any part thereof in any form,” said the Appellate Division verdict.

“The perpetrators of such illegalities should also be suitably punished and condemned so that in future no adventurist, no usurper, would dare to defy the people, their constitution, their government, established by them with their consent,” the apex court concluded.

It also said military rule was wrongly justified in the past, and it should not be justified in future on any ground.

“Let us bid farewell to all kinds of extra constitutional adventure forever,” it observed.

Extra constitutional usurpation of state power happened twice in Bangladesh.

Following the brutal assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, Khondaker Moshtaque Ahmed assumed the office of president, and placed the whole country under martial law for the first time in independent Bangladesh.

The regime began with overthrowing the government led by Bangabandhu, and on November 6, 1975 it dissolved the first parliament formed through the 1973 election.

During the first martial law regime, the constitution was made subordinate to martial law proclamations, regulations, and orders for around four years.

The first martial law was lifted on April 7, 1979 after a newly formed parliament dominated by the then nascent BNP passed the Fifth Amendment Act the day before, ratifying all preceding martial law proclamations and regulations, and all actions under that regime.

Lt General HM Ershad imposed the second stint of martial law overthrowing the then elected president Justice Abdus Sattar, and issuing the proclamation of March 24, 1982. Ershad is currently the chief of Jatiya Party, a major component of ruling Awami League-led grand alliance.

Moshtaque’s proclamation of August 20, 1975 allowed the constitution to remain in force, albeit subject to the martial law proclamation, regulations, orders, etc.

But Ershad’s proclamation suspended the constitution, and he reserved the power to revive the constitution partially in phases, which he did time to time after 1985, until its full revival on November 10, 1986 when the martial law was withdrawn.

Like his predecessors, Ershad made the third parliament pass the Seventh Amendment Act.

On November 11, 1986, the third elected parliament brought the seventh amendment to the constitution, ratifying Ershad’s martial law proclamation and all orders, regulations, and actions made under that proclamation.

During the martial law regimes, the then Supreme Court judges on various grounds expressed inability to take strong position against the regimes.

Analysing the second martial law regime, former chief justice Mustafa Kamal in his book titled “Bangladesh Constitution: Trends and Issues”, said, “It can be seen that this entire period of Second Martial Law (1982-86) was a period of virtual inaction on constitutional issues, on the part of the Supreme Court.”

About the first martial law regime which was imposed amid a state of emergency that had been in force since December 1974, the former chief justice said during the long period of 5 years till November 1979, the Supreme Court was denied jurisdiction to enforce fundamental rights.

“The law of fundamental rights, therefore, had very little scope to flourish in Bangladesh,” he added. Against such a backdrop, the Appellate Division took the strong position against martial law.

“We are of the view that in the spirit of the Preamble and also Article 7 of the constitution military rule, direct or indirect, is to be shunned once [and] for all,” the verdict said.

“Let it be made clear that military rule was wrongly justified in the past and it ought not to be justified in future on any ground, principle, doctrine or theory whatsoever as the same is against the dignity, honour and glory of the nation that it achieved after great sacrifice,” it added.

It stated that military rule is also against the dignity and honour of the people of Bangladesh, who are committed to uphold the sovereignty and integrity of the nation by all means.

The verdict went on to say, “It is also against the honour of each and every soldier of the armed forces who are oath bound to bear true faith and allegiance to Bangladesh and uphold the constitution which embodies the will of the people, honestly and faithfully to serve Bangladesh in their respective services and also see that the constitution is upheld, it is not kept in suspension, abrogated, it is not subverted, it is not mutilated, and to say the least it is not held in abeyance and it is not amended by any authority not competent to do so under the constitution.”

Earlier, the HC had also strongly denounced martial law, and Moshtaque, Justice Sayem, and Gen Ziaur Rahman for imposing such regimes.

“We found to our utter astonishment that how a minister in the cabinet [Moshtaque], a chief justice of the Supreme Court [Sayem], the chief of staff of the army [Ziaur Rahman], treated the constitution, the supreme law of this country with so much disgrace that independent Bangladesh was virtually made subservient to a few,” the HC verdict said.

“Khondaker Moshtaque Ahmed seized the office of president and virtually occupied Bangladesh. Justice Sayem dissolved the National Assembly and made the country fully autocratic, without any parliament, even worse than what it was before August, 1947, under the British government. Major General Ziaur Rahman did not even stop there,” the HC verdict added.

During the first martial law, Moshtaque assumed the office of president, but did not assume the powers of the chief martial law administrator (CMLA).

Moshtaque handed over the office of president to Justice MA Sayem on November 6, 1975. Two days later Sayem also assumed the powers of CMLA.

On November 29, 1976, Sayem relinquished the office of CMLA, and handed it over to Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman.

On April 21, 1977, Sayem resigned from the office of president as well, appointing Ziaur Rahman as the president.

The full text of the Appellate Division judgement on the 5th amendment of the Constitution was released Tuesday evening.

The Supreme Court authorities released the copy of the judgement after the five judges of the apex court signed the verdict.

The 5th amendment had endorsed the takeover of the state powers by Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed, Abu Sadaat Mohammad Sayem and Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman and their actions.

The High Court in a verdict on August 29, 2005 declared the 5th amendment illegal and unconstitutional.

The Appellate Division of the SC on February 2 this year upheld the HC verdict with some observations and modifications.

The verdict has been released on the SC website: www.supremecourt.gov.bd.

Former secretary general of the BNP Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan died of lung cancer at 12:01am on Wednesday at Square Hospital in the capital. He was 67.

He was brought back from Singapore National University Hospital by an air ambulance following treatment from June 18 to July 7 and was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital.

Mannan, also the former LGRD and Cooperatives minister, was on a life-support in the city hospital. He was also on life support at the Singapore hospital.

Bhuiyan served as BNP secretary general for 11 years. The party chairperson expelled him before she was arrested during the tenure of the last caretaker government in September 2007.

The first namaj-e-janaza of Bhuiyan will be held at about 12noon on Parliament premises, second janaza after Zohr prayers at Baitul Mokarram Mosque. He will be buried at his home village in Narshingdi following the third janaza in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain expressed their shock at the departure of Bhuiyan.

In its first hearing on Monday, the International Crimes Tribunal issued arrest warrants against four Jamaat-e-Islami top leaders.

The warrants were issued against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, assistant secretary generals Mohammed Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla for alleged crimes against humanity during 1971.

The Tribunal’s 20-minute hearing considered an application filed on Sunday by the prosecution panel’s chief Golam Arif Tipu with the tribunal’s registrar Mohammed Shahinur Islam.

Special security measures were taken for the hearing which started at around 10.30am at the tribunal established in the old High Court building.

Tribunal members Mohammad Nizamul Huq, ATM Fazle Kabir and AKM Zahir Ahmed were all present in court.

Tipu told the hearing: “The four including Nizami are already arrested in other cases, in which they might get bail.”

“Evidence might be destroyed if they stay free which might hinder investigations. The arrest warrants needs to be issued to assist investigations,” he added.

Mentioning rule 9 (1) of the Tribunal’s rules of procedure Tipu said: “The prosecution has specific allegations against them. The arrest warrants could be issued upon them in line with the tribunal act.”

The court then asked the chief prosecutor for specifics of the allegations.

“They were active in committing crimes including killings, genocide, looting, rape, arson as the collaborators of the occupation army at different places of Bangladesh during the Liberation War in 1971,” Tipu replied.

“In-depth investigations are underway against them, so they should be shown arrested for the sake of investigation,” he added.

The court then asked for information on the location of the crimes committed by the accused.

Tipu said, “They actively participated in these crimes throughout the country.”

When asked for explanation why they should face further warrants since they are already in jail, the prosecution chief replied: “They were not arrested in relation to these crimes. Arrest warrants should be issued so that they cannot secure bail in other cases.”

The tribunal then allowed the prayer ruling that, “In the interest of effective investigation, warrant of arrests should be issued against these four persons.”

The tribunal set August 2 for submission of a report on whether the warrant had become effective.

The four Jamaat-e-Islami top leader have recently been apprehended by the police in relation to cases at Keraniganj and Mirpur police station involving the killing of freedom fighters.

Prosecution panel members Syed Rezaur Rahman, Abdur Rahman Hawlader and Mokhlesur Rahman were present during the hearing, along with attorney general Mahbubey Alam, additional attorneys general MK Rahman, Murad Reza and Mamtaz Uddin Fakir.

The attorney general is his reaction to the order told reporters: “The petition was filed so that they cannot escape.”

He also urged all people to assist the tribunal by providing information regarding the crimes against humanity during the war.

The government on March 25 formed the tribunal, prosecution panel and the investigation agency to try the long-awaited trials of the crimes committed during the 1971 War of Independence.

The prosecution on Sunday filed a petition with the International Crimes Tribunal, seeking its directive to show four detained top Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leaders arrested in connection with crimes committed against humanity.

The four leaders are Jamaat chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojahid and senior assistant secretaries general Muhammad Qamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Mollah.

“We have submitted a petition to the tribunal through its registrar, seeking necessary order so that the four Jamaat big shots can be kept confined and the investigation agency can smoothly conduct investigation into the allegations against them of committing genocide, killing, rape, torture, looting, arson during the Liberation War in 1971,” Prosecutor Golam Arif Tipu told reporters at a briefing.

He however said the tribunal will pass order after holding hearing on the petition.

Prosecution sources said they will submit petition to the tribunal soon for necessary order to show some other Jamaat leaders arrested or detained on the same charges.

Earlier, a member of the investigation agency said they have submitted a report to the prosecution requesting it to file a petition with prayers to the tribunal to show the five detained Jamaat leaders arrested in the charges under the Act. Except the four top Jammat leaders, party Nayeb-e-Ameer Delwar Hossain Sayedee also arrested.

The report has been sent to the prosecution as the investigation agency has adequate materials about the Jamaat leaders’ involvement in different war crimes related cases, he said.

“As the five Jamaat leaders are already in custody, it is needed to show them arrested under the Act,” the investigator said.

Four cases have already been transferred to the Tribunal from Dhaka and Pirojpur courts against some of the accused including the five.

Earlier, the investigation agency had visited a number of war crime scenes and gathered information and collected documents.

The prosecution feels that the government has already arrested some war crime suspects in other cases and if they (suspects) are not kept confined at this moment, the trial proceedings against them could be hampered, he said.

All the cases, which have already been filed across the country on charges of committing crimes during the Liberation War, will be placed before the Tribunal for trial, as any other court cannot try such cases as per the International Crimes Tribunal (Amendment) Act, 1973, he added.

The sources told more names would be placed before the Tribunal gradually as per the materials on specific allegations seeking direction to arrest or detain them.

The government has recently sent a list of 40 people in the immigration offices of the air and land ports with their photographs as suspected war criminals.

The aim of sending the list is that they cannot leave the country to avoid trial in the Tribunal.

Nizami, Mojahid, Sayedee, Qamaruzzaman and Quader Mollah have been arrested in last 25 days on different charges.

Besides, a Dhaka court on July 22 sent to the Tribunal a case filed with Keraniganj police against Nizami, Mojahid, Qamaruzzaman, Quader and five others for killing freedom fighters in 1971.

Earlier on July 21, another Dhaka court sent another case to the Tribunal filed with Pallabi police on charge of killing 345 people during the Liberation War.

On January 25, 2008, Mohammad Amir Hossain Mollah, a wounded freedom fighter and resident of Pallabi’s Duaripara, filed this case with Pallabi police accusing Nizami, Mojahid, Qamaruzzaman, Quader and three other Jamaat men, and three non-Bangalees for the massacre of 345 people.

A Pirojpur court on July 21 sent two war crimes related cases filed in the district against Sayedee to the Tribunal.

The sources say the Tribunal chairman and two members can either sit in the courtroom to consider the first petition of the prosecution or deal it in their chamber in the old High Court building, where the much-awaited Tribunal was set up in March this year.

“The Tribunal started functioning since its formation in March. The judges formulated rules and procedures of the court and discharged other necessary duties. But this petition would be the first proceedings of the court,” said the prosecutor.

At least four people, including a woman, were killed in a road accident on the Chapainawabganj-Dhaka Highway in Godagari upazila of Rajshahi Saturday morning.

Five others were also wounded in the accident.

The identities of the deceased were not known immediately, reports our Rajshahi staff correspondent.

The accident occurred around 9:45am when a Rajshahi-bound bus from Chapainawabganj rammed into a Chapainawabganj-bound tempo in time of overtaking a truck in Kamarpara area of the upazila, Godagari police chief Zakirul Islam said. All the victims are from the tempo.

Agitating locals blocked the highway nearly for an hour protesting the killings.

Normalcy came to the highway when police seized the bus.

After a passing, the Criminal Investigation Department indicted 824 Bangladesh Rifles soldiers and civilians on 24 criminal charges yesterday, in connection with last year’s mutiny in the border security force’s Pilkhana Headquarters.
The charges include murder, arson, looting, hiding of bodies, and sedition.
This is the first time so many people are charged in a single case in the country.
Investigation officer (IO) of the case, CID’s Special Superintendent Abdul Kahar Akand said the charge of murder was brought against all indictee including former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, former leader of a Dhaka City ward unit of Awami League Torab Ali, and BNP backed former city ward commissioner Suraiya Begum.
“The indictee cooperated among themselves in all the crimes including murder. All of them had common interest in committing the crimes,” the IO told a media briefing in the CID headquarters prior to submission of the charge sheet.
After an investigation that took a year and four months, the IO submitted a 132-page charge sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, Dhaka in the afternoon, indicting 801 BDR soldiers and 23 civilians including a number of females.

* DAD Towhid prime accused
* Pintu, Torab Ali among 23 civilian accused
* 21 accused still at large
* BDR men, civilians meet before mutiny
* Mutiny staged to realise demands
* No political link found

Much talked about BDR Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) Mohammad Towhidul Islam was made the prime indictee.
The indicted are six DADs, 44 subedars, 80 havildars, 60 nayeks, 68 lance nayeks, 504 sepoys, 14 cooks, 2 peons, 2 cow herders, 18 sweepers, 1 ward boy, 2 carpenters, and 23 civilians.
The charge sheet also showed 21 BDR personnel as absconding since the mutiny. The IO prayed for issuance of arrest warrants against them, and an order for confiscating their properties.
The IO in the briefing also said the mutiny was staged based on some pent-up resentment among BDR soldiers regarding some demands.
He said the indicted BDR members and civilians held several meetings inside and outside the border security force’s headquarters prior to the mutiny.
The mutineers initially decided to keep officers hostage to fulfill their demands, and to open fire if necessary, he added.
“After the killings, initially they planned to burn the bodies, but in the end they decided to bury the bodies in mass graves,” he said.
He also said the investigation could not find any political or foreign link to the bloody mutiny.
The indictee looted arms breaking armories, raided Darbar Hall of the BDR Headquarters, sprayed bullets there and at different other places in Pilkhana killing 74 people including 57 army officers, he said.
They also looted grenades and exploded those, fired rifles targeting a helicopter, and set fire to officers’ houses.
“The mutineers confined family members of the army officers inside Pilkhana and tortured them. They also looted money, gold ornaments, and cellphones which were recovered later,” the IO continued.
Pintu and Torab Ali used to reside near Pilkhana, one of them is a former BDR member, he said. “We have found evidence of their involvement in the incident,” the IO added without elaborating.
In the charge sheet 1,285 people including the home minister; state minister for law; state minister for LGRD; former chiefs of the army, navy and air force; the police chief; journalists; and army officers were shown as prosecution witnesses. Besides, a statement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was also recorded.
All killings took place on February 25 last year, the IO said.
CID took statements of around 9,500 people during the course of the investigation in which more than 100 CID officials assisted the IO.
Kahar also said the crimes took place at 62 spots inside Pilkhana in which 2,500 firearms were used, and CID seized 5,959 pieces of evidence including a helicopter.
The IO also pleaded the court to drop the charges against 1,504 people earlier arrested in the case, as the charges against them were not proved.
But almost all of them will nonetheless face trial by special BDR courts for taking part in a mutiny.
In the event of a conviction in the cases being tried at the special courts, the maximum penalty under the existing BDR Act is seven years imprisonment.
The cabinet however approved the draft Border Guards Bangladesh Act 2010 yesterday, which sets death as the maximum penalty for mutiny.
A total of 2,307 were arrested so far in connection with the mutiny, 2,282 of them were taken on remand, and 543 gave confessional statements.
The criminal case was initially filed with Lalbagh police station for murder, looting, arson, and sedition, which was subsequently transferred to New Market police station.
The government sought the Supreme Court’s opinion on the trial process, as opinions varied widely on whether the suspected mutineers should be tried under the law of BDR or the army, or the civilian law.
The court appointed 10 senior lawyers as amici curiae meaning “friends of the court”, for advice, and they suggested trial of the criminal case under the civilian law.
The IO said 64 pistols, 5 Chinese rifles, and 1 sub-machine gun are still missing. He also said 198 grenades are missing as well, but it is suspected that some of those were exploded during the mutiny.

Commercially viable grass cultivation has begun in Pachgachi union under Sadar upazila of Kurigram district.
Two varieties of grass — Sweet Jamboo and Leapire — are cultivated at low cost while the profit margin is satisfactory.
In char areas of Kurigram, cultivation of Sweet Jamboo is gaining rapid popularity. Sweet Jamboo is grown from seed while Leapire from cuttings. The seed and cuttings are sown in October and November when the floodwater recedes.
Cattle and buffalos prefer to eat Sweet Jamboos. When fed with this fodder mixed with hay they said to yield more quality milk.
The grass is bought by farm owners of Bogra Dadhi Bhander, Testy Niketan as well as local farms in and around Kurigram.
The price varies from Tk 2.50 to Tk 4/- per kilogram. A farmer can harvest 165kg to 200kg from one bigha of land.
While visiting char village South Nawabash under Sadar upazila this correspondent found Sweet Jamboo cultivated on vast patches of land.
Saifur Rahman Sarker, 45, a grass farmer, told this correspondent that he planted the two variety of grasses on one acre of sandy land in November last year.
According to Saifur, he harvested 2,200 kg of grass from his grassland.
Of these, 1,600 kg were sold at Tk 2.50 per kilogram earning about Tk 4,000 in February. In March, he sold another lot of 2,040 kg of grass at Tk 3 per kilogram for Tk 6,120.
Thus Saifur earned Tk 10,120 from one acre in the last two months.
“In previous times, I cultivated Dhaincha (fuel wood) and sugarcane, but it was not profitable. Grass cultivation is suitable for the sandy char land. Agriculturist Lutful Kabir and Project Organiser Hasna Banu Hasu of a local NGO Zibika assisted us with various advices on the grass cultivation”, he said.
Many have benefited from cultivation of grass. The grass growers said they can harvest up to eight times before the onset of flood.
“The green grass is very helpful for cows. In the dry season, as there is no green pasture around, these green grasses are of great help to the cattle farm owners”, said Alam Haider, owner of Testy Niketan.
Director of the NGO, Manik Chowdhury, said they took up the project of grass cultivation in South Nawabash, a char village under Sadar upazila of the district, to generate alternative source of income.
The project started in 2006 with the poor people in the area having small pieces of land, has now become a commercially profitable venture for anybody, he said.

Police yesterday obstructed the main opposition BNP’s nationwide human chain programme triggering sporadic clashes, chases and counter chases between law enforcers and opposition activists that left one person dead.
The clashes and chases and counter chases in Naogaon, Khulna, Barisal, Jessore left more than 50 people injured during the hour-long programme from 11:00am.
Enamul Huq Omar, Jatiyatabadi Judo Dal leader of Naogaon, died allegedly due to police excess during opposition activists’ clash with police in the town.
Naogaon police, however, claimed that Omar died of cardiac arrest.
Khulna Sadar BNP unit President Yusuf Hossain Manju was critically wounded in an attack by ruling party cadres, sources claimed.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain accused the government for obstructing their “peaceful programme” and warned it of dire consequences. “Police barred our peaceful protest by charging truncheons and detaining activists. This is how the government is torturing the opposition,” he said.
At a press briefing at the party’s central office in Naya Paltan, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government exposed its “fascist and autocratic” character by obstructing and attacking the peaceful programme.
He claimed that at least 100 persons were arrested across the country.
BNP organised the human chain to protest the government “repression” on the opposition and demand unconditional release of leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate bodies who were detained before and during the July 27 hartal. Mirza Abbas, Shamser Mobin Chowdhury and lawmaker Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee were among the arrestees.
Some leader of BNP alliance partners Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, and Jagpa joined the human chain at Jatiya Press Club. No senior leaders of Jamaat were there.
Earlier, Jamaat formally announced that they would also form human chain along with BNP.
In the capital Dhaka, police did not allow the opposition activists even to stand on the side of the roads and in many places BNP workers were not seen at their predetermined spots.
Witnesses said low participation of party leaders and workers was a major reason behind the programme being unsuccessful.
Party leaders alleged that they were barred at different points, including the Jatiya Press Club, Farmgate, Ittefaq and Shapla intersection in Motijheel. They said police charged truncheons on them at Farmgate.
Party workers were trying to gather on roadsides in at least 15 places to form the human chain but police quickly dispersed them charging truncheons.
Several hundred opposition leaders and workers engaged in scuffles with police when they obstructed the programme at the Jatiya Press Club gate.
Aman Ullah Aman, Zainul Abdin Farroque, Abdul Mannan, Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan, Abdul Latif Nezami, Shafiul Alam Prodhan, and Shamim Al Mamun, were seen sitting in front of the main gate of the club from 11:00am after they faced police obstruction.
Syed Nurul Islam, ADC of Ramna Zone told reporters that police took necessary steps to ensure security of life and property.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain arrived at the press club around 11:15am. He was inside his car on the press club compound till 11:36am and then tried to form the human chain but police did not allow it. A few minutes later Delwar backtracked due to his illness.
A group of BNP-backed lawyers, led by Supreme Court Bar Council President Khandker Mahbub Hossain, former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, and former minister Aminul Haque, formed a human chain in front of the Supreme Court but police cordoned them off.
Police snatched the banner from BNP workers led by standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Mian at Technical intersection and at one stage they dispersed the opposition workers who later vandalised a vehicle.
Police picked up Juba Dal President Moazzem Hossain Alal from Asadgate area and later released him. Police, however, claimed that they did not pick up former lawmaker Alal.
A few BNP supporters led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir tried to form a human chain at Karwan Bazar but failed due to police obstruction. Police dispersed the workers charging truncheons.
Local Jubo Dal leader Enamul Haque alias Omar was killed yesterday morning during police excess on the human chain programme at Tezermore in Naogaon, reports our correspondent in Chapainawabganj.
Police chased BNP leaders and workers when they were forming a human chain, witnesses said.
Enamul along with others tried to escape but he fell on the road, they said.
Naogaon superintendent of police, however, said Enamul had died of cardiac arrest.
Later local BNP organised a protest rally and demanded punishment of the police officials “involved in the killing”.
Approximately eighteen persons were injured in an attack allegedly by a group of Jubo League and Chhatra League activists yesterday at a human chain programme in Khulna, our staff correspondent in Khulna reports.
Of the 18, Organising Secretary of Khulna upazila BNP unit Yusuf Harun Majnu, 38, sustained severe head injuries.
He was in a deep coma at the ICU (intensive care unit) of Khulna Medical College Hospital (KMCH). His hands and left leg were broken, doctors said.
Khulna city BNP President and lawmaker of Khulna-2 constituency Nazrul Islam Manju blamed Jubo League for the attack.
The city BNP unit will organise a rally today in protesting at the attack.
Six other injured were also admitted to KMCH.

The police in raids on four of the six halls of residence at Jahangirnagar University arrested 15 people following a spate of clashes between two factions of ruling Awami League-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League that left at least 50 injured on Monday.

The arrestees are BCL workers ‘Emon’, ‘Rumon’, ‘Jahid’, ‘Chhanda’ of Al-Biruni Hall, Nabin, Riaz, ‘Mostafiz’, ‘Masud’, ‘Shanta’, ‘Shamim’ of AFM Kamal Uddin Hall, ‘Rahat’, ‘Aminul’ ‘Shihab’, ‘Hasan’, ‘Paritosh’ of Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall.

Savar circle assistant superintendent of police Monwar Hossain told bdnews24.com that they were arrested upon the filing of two cases by rival BCL factions.

He said they will conduct drives at various places taking the detainees with them. The raid came to a close at 2:30am.

The police also detained the Daily Independent’s university correspondent ‘Rahat’ and the Daily Inqilab’s reporter Palash Mahmud but released them later. They said the law-enforcers misbehaved with them despite the two telling them that they were journalists.

Surprisingly, no arms were seized.

NewshoursBD.com correspondent, who was present during the midnight swoop, said the Savar police began raiding Al-Biruni Hall, Shaheed Salam Barkat Hall, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Hall and AFM Kamal Uddin Hall at 1:45am.

Proctor Dr Arju Mia could not be reached on the phone for comments.

In an unprecedented spate of violence, 12 students were flung off the roof of the four-storey Al-Biruni Hall by rival activists, forcing ruling Awami League’s student front to expel 17 students and suspend the university committee.

Witnesses said cadres of one faction severely beat up their rivals and flung 12 of them off the four-storey hall’s roof.

Some have alleged that even the university’s vice-chancellor professor Sharif Enamul Kabir was manhandled when he had gone to resolve the standoff between the clashing groups.

At that point the two groups allegedly fired 11 rounds in the air in presence of the vice-chancellor.

Witnesses said the clashes broke out after supporters of BCL’s university unit general secretary Nirjhar Alam had beaten up Kazi Mostofa Monwar Sajib, a close associate of president Rashedul Islam Safin, at around 10am at Al-Biruni Hall.