BCL
BCL infighting at Shaheed Minar: 1 Injured
A city Chattra League leader was injured at the Shaheed Minar allegedly by a central BCL leader while paying homage to language heroes on Monday, witnesses said
The injured Ehsanul Haque Yasir is the former secretary of relief and disaster management of Dhaka city(south) BCL and accused Benzir Hossain Nishi is the central joint-general secretary of central Chhatra League committee.
Read: 8 hurt in BCL infighting in Ctg over offering flowers at Shaheed Minar
Benazir has been accused of hurting Ehsanul while he was going to place flowers at the Central Shaheed Minar to pay homage to language martyrs.
The incident took place in the early hours of Monday at the central Shaheed Minar. However, Benazir Hossain Nishi has denied the allegation.
Ehsanul Haque Yasir received first aid treatment at Dhaka medical college hospital.
Earlier in the morning, while placing wreaths on behalf of the hall branches of Dhaka University Chhatra League, a fight broke out among some members armed with bamboo sticks, witnesses said.
Read: DU student accuses a BCL activist of slapping him
Chhatra League leaders and activists created chaos in front of the altar. At that time the leaders and workers of Jagannath Hall and Shahidullah Hall were staying there. At that time, they were seen running towards each other with bamboo sticks used for carrying banners.
Also on Monday Chhatra League leaders and activists clashed in front of the entrance of the altar of Shaheed Minar, according to witnesses.
8 hurt in BCL infighting in Ctg over offering flowers at Shaheed Minar
Eight people were injured as two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatro League (BCL) clashed at Chattogram Government Haji Muhammad Mohsin College over placing flowers at Shaheed Minar on Monday, marking International Mother Language Day.
Witnesses said that two groups of BCL - followers of general secretary of Nagar Awami League and former city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin and followers of Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel - got involved in a clash at a stage over who would offer flowers first at the Shaheed Minar at the college premises around 12pm, leaving eight injured.
Read: 10 BNP activists remanded over clash with police at Naya Paltan
The injured were sent to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).
On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control, said Ferdous Jahan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chawkbazar police station.
Independence Cup: Central and North Zone off to flying starts
In the first-round matches of the Independence Cup, a 50-over event involving the teams of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL), Walton Central Zone and BCB North Zone won their respective matches in Sylhet on Sunday.
Central Zone, who won the longer version edition of BCL this year, beat Islami Bank East Zone by 22 runs in a low-scoring affair at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium.
East Zone won the toss and sent Central Zone to bat first, who posted 177 all out in 43.2 overs with Mohammad Mithun scoring the highest 37. Along with him, Mizanur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan also did well with the bat posting 36 and 35 respectively.
For East Zone, right-arm pacers Rubel Hossain, and Rejaur Rahman Raja bagged three wickets each while Tanvir Islam took one wicket.
Also read: Pumped-up Tigers aim for monumental series win against Blackcaps
In reply, East Zone tumbled for 155 despite two 30-plus scores by Rony Talukdar and Irfan Sukkur. They managed to set in the middle but failed to carry on. Mohammad Ashraful suffered a duck while Imrul Kayes posted 25 for them.
For Central Zone, Shakib, Hasan Murad and Soumya Sarkar bagged two wickets each while Abu Hider Rony and Mosaddek Hossain took one wicket each.
Also read: Series win against New Zealand to inspire future Tigers: Domingo
In the other match of the day at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium Academy Ground, South Zone batted first and scored 162 with a fifty by Towhid Hridoy, and 47 from Pinak Ghosh.
For North Zone, Sunzamul Islam and Shafiqul Islam scalped three wickets each while Naeem Islam bagged two.
In reply, opener Parvez Hossain Emon and Naeem hit a half-century each to guide South Zone to an eight-wicket win. While Parvez fell for 54 off 54 balls, Naeem remained unbeaten for 66.
Mashrafe starts bowling but uncertain about BCL 50-over
Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza started practice at Mirpur Thursday ahead of the 50-over edition of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) amid uncertainty about participation.
The 38-year-old pacer played his last competitive cricket match back in December, 2020. He had been out of cricket since due to his political commitments as a member of Bangladesh parliament.
“Just bowled a few deliveries with a short run-up,” Mashrafe told the media, adding that he has been undergoing a rehabilitation programme. “I have been suffering from a bit of back pain. It will take a little time to get rid of it. But I started slowly.”
Also read: BCL Final: Mithun hits maiden double ton
Mashrafe hoped he can start bowling with full run-up by next week.
The veteran bowler will represent Dhaka team in the upcoming edition of Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) starting from January 21.
The former captain praised the Test team for their historic win over New Zealand this week. Masrahfe rated it as the biggest win of Bangladesh in cricket so far.
“I don’t like to say it's ‘one of the best wins’, it’s actually the best win to me,” he said. “New Zealand are the champions of the Test. We don’t have our best players in this series. If you keep these things in mind, it was our best win ever.”
Also read: BCL Cricket: Central Zone require 192 runs against South Zone on final day
According to Masrhafe, Bangladesh’s pace-bowling unit is flourishing slowly in every format of the game. He said what Ebadot Hossain has done in the first Test against New Zealand was a result of his long struggle.
“If you see our T20Is stats, our pacers have done well there. Test was the format where our pacers struggled for a long time unlike T20Is and ODIs. We have to work harder for that. If you look at Taskin (Ahmed), he has started doing well. Ebadot already displayed what he is capable of. And Rahi (Abu Jayed) has been doing well too. We have to believe them more, and it will eventually help them to become even more effective in Tests.”
After winning the first Test by a big margin of eight wickets, which was Bangladesh’s maiden Test win over New Zealand and first by any Asian Team in New Zealand after 2013, Bangladesh are now gearing up for the second Test which will begin in Christchurch on January 9.
BCL Final: Hom guides Central Zone to Home
Despite five of the top six batters returning with single-digit scores, Walton Central Zone chased a target of 218 to win this year’s Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) on Thursday at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
They beat BCB South Zone by four wickets riding on the superb fourth-innings hundred by veteran allrounder Shuvagata Hom.
He smashed match-winning 114 under immense pressure. He also had a century in the first innings. Overall, he amassed 230 in the final and expectedly won the player of the match award.
It was the third time Walton Central Zone won the BCL title.
Read: BCL Cricket: Central Zone require 192 runs against South Zone on final day
They won the inaugural edition of the event in the season of 2012-13. South Zone won the next two seasons before Central Zone won it again in the 2015-16 season. North Zone won their first title in the 2016-17 season before South Zone won it three consecutive times afterwards. Now, their winning streak came to an end finally thanks to wonderful batting effort from Shuvagata.
In the way of chasing down the target of 218, Central Zone lost six wickets inside 68 runs. It was just a matter of time for them to capitulate to the South Zone at that stage. But Hom was rigid with the bat. He was too good for South Zone bowlers.
Eventually, Central Zone scored 221 for six in 63.5 overs to seal the match and event.
For South Zone, Mehedi Hasan Rana and Nasum Ahmed bagged two wickets each while Farhad Reza and Kamrul Islam Rabbi took one wicket each.
Earlier, South Zone ended their second innings at 268 thanks to an incredible batting display by Rishad Hossain. The leg-spinner came up with the bat to rescue the team who had lost five for 70. Rishad scored 99— fell short of a single from his maiden First-class century.
Read: BCL: Central Zone and South Zone march to final
Abu Hider Rony scalped five wickets for Central Zone while Hasan Murad, Mukidul Islam, and Soumya Sarkar and Taibur Rahman took one wicket each.
The teams which took part in the BCL longer version will now take on each other in the BCL 50-over from January 9. The event will kick off in Sylhet.
Soumya hits a ton as BCL 3rd round gets underway
Left-handed Soumya Sarkar hit a ton for Walton Central Zone on Sunday as the third round of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) began on Sunday in Chattogram.
Mohammad Ashraful, the former Bangladesh captain, scored a fifty for Islami Bank East Zone 0 the same day in Rajshahi.
Riding on 70 of Ashraful, East Zone posted 166 all out in the first innings against BCB North Zone in Rajshahi.
Also read: Jamie Siddons to rejoin BCB after a decade
Apart from Ashraful, Afif Hossain did well with the bat scoring 37 while the other batters failed to impress.
Shafiul Islam of North Zone bagged five wickets while Sunzamul Islam took three and Mohammad Sharifullah took two.
At the end of day one, North Zone posted 71 without losing any wicket in 28 overs, with Tanzid Hasan Tamim and Junaid Siddique remaining unbeaten for 35 and 30 respectively.
Also read: Nayeem takes six to stun Central Zone in BCL
In the other match, Soumya hit a century for Central Zone against BCB South Zone. At the end of day one, Central Zone scored 293 for four with Soumy and Shuvagata Hom remaining unbeaten for 128 and 62 respectively.
For South Zone, Nasum Ahmed and leg-spinner Rishad Ahmed bagged two wickets each.
BCL: Central Zone on verge of second win
Walton Central Zone is on the verge of the second win in the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) against Islami Bank East Zone at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
At the end of day three, Central Zone needs 112 runs with nine wickets in hand. They were batting at 87 for one, with Mohammad Mithun and Soumya Sarkar were batting 42 and 33 respectively.
READ: Asia Cup: Junior Tigers to leave Dhaka this evening
In the first innings of the match, East Zone posted 245 with Shahadat Hossain Dipu scoring 72, and Central Zone pacer Abu Hider Rony bagged five wickets. In reply, Central Zone posted 227 with Taibur Rahman hitting 76 and Zakir Hasan scoring 92.
East Zone posted 180 in their second innings with wicketkeeper-batter Pritom Kumar and Nayeem Hasan scoring a fifty each, and Central Zone bowlers— Hasan Murad bagged four wickets, and Rony, and Mrittunjoy Chowdhury taking two wickets each.
In the final innings of the match, Central Zone needs to score 199 to seal the match. They have won their first-round match as well.
READ: Tigers out for preparation in New Zealand
The other match of the second round of BCL, being played between BCB North Zone and BCB South Zone, is heading for a draw.
Riding on the century of Naeem Islam, BCB North Zone had scored 385 in the first innings of the match. In reply, at the end of day three, BCB South Zone scored 350 for three with Amite Hasan (131) and Towhid Hridoy (159*) hitting a century each.
Mithun, Mizan shine in BCL with centuries
Mohammad Mithun hit 176 in the first round of the Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) on Monday at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram.
Mithun and his opening partner Mizanur Rahman added a mammoth 327 in the opening stand with Mizanur hitting 162.
At the end of day two, Walton Central Zone posted 430 for two against BCB North Zone with Soumya Sarkar and Salman Hossain Emon remaining not out for 39 and 40 respectively.
Earlier, BCB North Zone posted 210 for all wickets in the first innings of the match with Parvez Hossian Emon hitting the highest 46 for them. For Walton Central Zone, Robiul Hoque scalped three wickets and Shuvagata Home took two.
Also read: Ashraful hits a fifty, Nasum, Mahedi take five each as BCL kicks off
At the end of day two, Walton Central Zone led by 211 runs with eight wickets in hand.
“I just wanted to play according to my strength,” Mithun, who opened the innings for the first time in BCL, told in a video message. “Mizanur also played a wonderful innings. When we started well, we wanted to make it as big as possible. We are happy that we could put a big partnership. We will try our best to play like we started and go match by match.”
Mithun has recently lost his national team place for his prolonged bad patch in the middle. According to some sources, Mithun was advised to open the innings in the longer version matches by head coach of the national team Russell Domingo.
If Mithun can continue to do well at the opening slot, he might get a comeback call to the national team, at least for the longer version of cricket.
In the other match of the first round, BCB South Zone are leading by 28 runs with four wickets in hand.
Riding on 88 by Anamul Haque Bijoy and 91 not-out by Zakir Hasan, BCB South Zone scored 288 for six in 82 overs at the end of day two in reply to Islami Bank East Zone’s 260 for all wickets.
For Islami Bank, right-arm spinner Nayeem Hasan bagged three wickets while Mohammad Ashraful, who hit a fifty with the bat, took two wickets.
Earlier, in the first innings of the match, Nasum Ahmed and Mahedi Hasan of BCB South Zone bagged five wickets each to wrap up Islami Bank East Zone for 260.
KUET BCL tries to distance itself from professor’s death after meeting
Bangladesh Chhatra League's Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (Kuet) unit, whose members stand accused of having played some role in the untimely death of a professor of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department of the university on Tuesday, have sought refuge behind a claim of 'dirty politics' leading the finger of blame to point at them.
The university Chhatra League tried to present their version of what transpired when a horde of their members, also residents of the university's Lalon Shah Hall, met with Prof Md Selim Hossain in the hours before he passed away on the day of his death, through a press conference at Khulna Press Club on Friday.
READ: KUET declared closed till Dec 13, students asked to leave halls by Friday
KUET BCL said the image of the ruling party's student front is being tarnished in this way.
In a written statement, Sadman Nahyan Sejan, general secretary of KUET Chhatra League, said Dr Md Selim Hossain of the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) department was appointed as the provost of Lalan Shah Hall.
“Whenever a new provost is appointed, the students of the final batch of the residential hall are introduced to the provost by the Student Welfare Committee.”
Sadman Nahyan tried to portray their reasons behind meeting Prof Selim Hossain that day as completely routine
He said Prof Selim scheduled a meeting in his office at 12 noon on Tuesday to get acquainted with the students and inform them about the various activities in the hall. Students were approximately 40 minutes late to attend the scheduled meeting after class. “He was later met on the way and informed of the reason for the delay. Then he told us to come to his office. After the professor unlocked his office, the students entered with his permission.”
BCL leader Sadman further said that as there was not enough space for all the students, Prof Selim Hossain asked the seniors to sit inside and the juniors to wait outside for a while. After exchanging greetings with the seniors, he called the students waiting outside and brought them inside.
“At that time, he told them, he had work in the lab at half-past two. He would go to the hall in the evening and meet the students. And then he left,” said Sadman.
Sadman added, "We do not know the exact cause of death of Prof Selim Hossain. However, according to the death certificate, it is known that he died of a stroke. He was the guardian of the hall. We went there to talk to him about the hall.”
“One party is painting us as criminals by focusing on our meeting with Prof Selim Hossain. They have also given statements regarding this. I am demanding the vice-chancellor take action against us after scrutinizing the CCTV footage of the meeting.”
Deputy Communications and Information Secretary of the University BCL committee Jamiur Rahman, Assistant Editor Ahsanul Abedin, and Sub-Library Secretary Mahmudul Hasan were present at the press conference.
Later, the leaders and workers of BCL took up positions in front of the administrative building while an emergency meeting of the university's Syndicate was in progress. They submitted a memorandum to the vice-chancellor demanding five-points.
The main thrust of their demands is to not ban student politics at KUET. They also include the formation of a probe committee consisting of administrative officers, judicial magistrates and teachers from the university to uncover the truth behind Prof Selim Hossain's death, and to ensure the maximum punishment for any BCL members found to be guilty.
They also demanded compensation of Tk 1 crore for Prof Selim's family within a month, as well as the offer of a permanent job for at least one member of his family at KUET.
Forced to close
UNB has reviewed CCTV footage from at least three different locations that have been leaked to the media.
Footage of the path leading away from the EEE Building (Camera 1) shows the meeting outside the building and the professor turning back to lead dozens of male students, Sadman among them, back into the building, up the stairs (CAM2) and into his office (CAM3).
The third camera also captures their departure from his office, and minutes later his own, locking the door behind him. It cannot be said that there are any visible signs of distress on him physically at that point, as again he walks away crisply.
READ: Kuet dorms to reopen on October 22
But the allegations raised are of 'mental torture and harassment'.
KUET was declared closed till December 13 as tensions spread through the campus over the death of Prof Selim Hossain.
Students were asked to leave their residential halls by 4pm on Friday, in an order signed by the Registrar (Acting) of the University, Engineer Md Anisur Rahman Bhuiyan.
The decision to close was taken at the emergency meeting of the KUET Syndicate on Friday, after the untimely death of the professor - in the aftermath, allegedly, of mental torture and harassment by Chhatra League members - triggered unrest on the campus.
According to his fellow faculty members, Prof Selim died hours after some Chhatra League activists led by Sadman Nahyan Sejan confined him in his office and mentally tortured him to accept their choice as dining manager of Lalan Shah Hall for December.
CCTV footage from outside the teacher's office room showed several students, belonging to Sadman’s group, entered his room around 12:30 pm on Tuesday. It is not true though that the students led the way. If anything, he walked well ahead of them.
His colleagues further alleged Prof Selim was subjected to abuse, humiliation and threats while confined.
Meanwhile, Professor Selim's family members said that the teacher reached his residence near the campus around 2:00 pm after the incident on Tuesday and went to the washroom. But when he was taking too long to come out, they broke down the door to enter the bathroom and found him in an unconscious state.
Although they rushed him to Khulna Medical College Hospital, doctors there could only declare him dead.
Following the incident, the teachers' union on Thursday boycotted academic activities demanding the accused students’ permanent expulsion from the university through a fair investigation.
BCL activists get 2-months jail for misconduct with magistrate
A Sylhet magistrate on Tuesday sentenced two Bangladesh Chaatra League activists to two months in prison for misbehaving with him (the magistrate) during an anti-electric vehicle drive in the city.
The two accused were identified as Mazed Ahmed, 27, and Tarek Ahmed, 30, both members of the Sylhet district unit of BCL.
READ: Clash between BCL factions at CMCH; several injured, 16 sued
The incident occurred when executive magistrate of Sylhet City Corporation Md Motiur Rahman Khan, leading a mobile court, went to fine Mazed for wrongly parking his motorcycle at Ambor Khan point.
As the magistrate asked to see his driving license and other documents, Mazed said: "I have no documents, but I have links with the top people in the administration. I will see how you seize my bike."
He called out another BCL man, Tarek, to join him and then both of them allegedly misbehaved with the magistrate.
READ: Counter-FIR filed over BCL clash at Ctg medical college
At one point the magistrate too called on additional police forces and had them arrested.
"Tarek and Majed have been sentenced to two months in prison under section 186 of Penal Code," said Motiur Rahman.
Both of them were sent to jail around 3:30 pm.