Chattogram University (CU) sustained property damage amounting to crores of taka due to violent attacks carried out by students angered by a shuttle train accident, said CU Proctor Nurul Azim Sikder on Friday.
He also blamed BNP-Jamaat’s conspiracy behind the attacks.
The accident took place on Thursday night as a shuttle train collided with a tree, injuring at least 20 people, including CU students.
Enraged by the incident, the CU students vandalized the campus police outpost, shops, and their valuables including chairs and tables, and set fire to tyres in front of the Zero Point of the university.
At one stage, they also moved to the bungalow of the university’s VC and also went on a rampage there, creating panic on the campus.
The angry students also vandalized over 50 vehicles, the proctor said.
Proctor Nurul Azim Sikder expressed his dismay, stating: "The attack on the vice chancellor's residence was very disgraceful. Transport assets worth crores of taka have been vandalized. They carried out an attack at the teacher's club. Railway coaches were set on fire, police boxes were vandalized.”
This type of work is not possible for general students, Jamaat-Shibir and BNP had an agenda here, he claimed.
The proctor further said: “We are sorry, shocked for those who were injured. It is an unexpected event. We will take initiatives in a short period of time to increase the number of railway coaches so that students do not travel on the roof."
Ratan Kumar Chowdhury, manager of Chattogram Railway Station, said that students are always asked not to ride on the train’s roof due to lack of safety but they are indifferent to the instruction.
However, three students of CU who sustained injuries after falling from the roof of the university’s shuttle train are receiving treatment in the intensive care unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) as their condition is critical.
The three are Amjad Hossain Sohag, 18, Khalilur Rahman, 22, and Angsainu Marma, 21.
On Thursday, at least 20 students were injured when the accident occurred.
CU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Shireen Akhter visited the injured students at midnight at CMCH.
She inquired about their condition and talked to the hospital authorities to ensure that they got the best treatment.
