The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), took to the streets of Dhaka on Monday to protest what it calls a “sinister conspiracy” by a hidden group to incite mob violence, disrupt educational environments, and destabilise law and order.
The march, sparked by the controversial Mitford murder of businessman Lal Chand alias Sohag, also decried alleged defamation campaigns targeting BNP’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman.
The procession began in the afternoon from the BNP central office in Naya Paltan, winding through Kakrail and Matsya Bhaban and culminating at Shahbagh.
Hundreds of Chhatra Dal leaders and activists from the central committee, Dhaka University, the four metropolitan units of Dhaka, and various colleges, universities, and local police station units joined the march. Participants chanted slogans condemning clandestine activities, demanding an end to mob incitement, and calling for a fair academic environment.
Speaking to the media before the march, Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir accused a covert group, allegedly linked to Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, of exploiting the Mitford murder to manipulate public sentiment.
“They’ve orchestrated a mob against Chhatra Dal by misleading ordinary students and spreading propaganda against our acting chairman, Tarique Rahman,” Nasir said.
He pointed out that other recent murders, including those in Muradnagar and Khulna, did not provoke similar student outrage, suggesting a selective agenda.
“Our protest is to expose these misdeeds and clarify our stance,” Nasir emphasised. “We seek no chaos, only justice and a safe environment for education.”
The march was announced on Sunday by Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib and Nasir in response to what they described as a deliberate attempt to tarnish the organization’s image.
The Mitford murder, where scrap dealer Sohag was brutally killed on July 9 in a public display, has fueled tensions in Old Dhaka. Chhatra Dal claims that “hidden forces” are using the incident to inflame students and discredit BNP’s leadership. The organization alleges that the same group is undermining the fair academic environment and contributing to the deteriorating law and order situation nationwide.