A Correspondent:
Rajshahi: Four members of the Railway Nirapotta Bahini (RNB) have been temporarily suspended following the alleged assault of a Rajshahi University student at Rajshahi railway station on Sun-day night.
The suspended members are Md Arif Hossain, Md Rokon Uddin, Md Shafiqul Islam and Md Sha-hadat Hossain. Their staff numbers are C-989, C-883, C-1321 and C-600 respectively.
Md Ashabul Islam, Chief Commandant of Rajshahi Railway, issued the suspension order on Sun-day.
According to the order, the four were suspended over their suspected involvement in an “untoward incident” at Rajshahi railway station. They have been instructed to report daily to the Comman-dant (Headquarters) until further notice.
The incident occurred at around 9:30pm when Ayub Ali, a student of the 2022-23 academic session in the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Rajshahi University, went to the station to re-ceive his uncle.
According to university students, an altercation broke out between on-duty Ansar members and two Rajshahi University students from the Department of English. Ayub was allegedly beaten when he intervened in the dispute.
Ayub’s classmate Mohammad Mizan said a verbal altercation was taking place between some uni-versity students and railway staff when Ayub intervened on behalf of the students and was severe-ly beaten.
Ayub was later admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.
Following the incident, students announced a “March to Rajshahi Railway Station” programme and gathered at the station. The program was led by Salahuddin Ammar, general secretary of the Rajshahi University Central Students’ Union (RUCSU).
The students later blocked the railway tracks and set fires in the Station Bazar area adjacent to the university around 11:00pm in protest.
At around 11:45pm, a group of students went to the railway station office and vandalised window-panes and chairs. The vandalism reportedly continued until around 1:00am.
Western Railway Director General Ahmad Hossain Masum said such acts of violence were undesir-able.
Regarding the students’ blockade, he said, “It is quite natural for students to become emotional following such an untoward incident. I urge them not to take the law into their own hands. We will take legal action quickly.”
Around 1:30am, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, accompanied by Rajshahi University teachers and police officials, reached the station and brought the situation under control.
