It has been a long standing allegation that the authorities have no control over the university halls. There are total 1,088 seats.
To capture these seats, BCL leaders were involved in clashes on at least 24 occasions in the last six years. At least 73 people were injured during these clashes. BCL does not have any committee on campus. The committee was dissolved on September 24 due to the beating of a journalist, extortion and repeated clashes. After this, some leaders including the committee chairman and secretary left the hall, but most of the posted leaders remained present there.
Investigation revealed that 9 BCL leaders mainly control seven halls.
Shahjalal Hall is controlled by a BCL faction called the Sixty Nine. This group is led by Saidul Islam and Shamsuzzaman Chaudhary, former joint general secretaries of the university unit BCL. Shah Amanat Hall is controlled by Mirza Khabir, leader of the ‘Choose Friends with Care’ faction and former vice president.
Alaol Hall is controlled by Bejoy Group leader and former joint general secretary MD Ilyas. Suhrawardy, Shaheed Abdur Rab and AF Rahman Hall are not controlled by any one group.
These three halls are under the control of former vice-presidents Pradeep Chakraborty and Abu Bakar and former joint general secretary Ahsan Habib. None of them are students now.
The BCL faction controls the Epitaph Masterda Cerja Sen Hall. Former drama and debate secretary Sajjad Anam leads the group. Although he was admitted to the university a decade ago, he still claims to be a student.
