The general secretary of Chattogram city unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) has assaulted a college principal on the campus on March 31.

Jahed Khan, principal of Chattogram Biggan College, located at Chawk Bazar, came under the attack as the BCL men, led by general secretary Nurul Azim Rony, alleged that the principal was realising “extra money” as part of a development fee from the HSC examinees.

They also alleged that the teacher was not giving the students their admit cards without the money.

The incident came to light after the CCTV footage of the incident went viral on social media.

The Daily Star has also obtained a copy of the footage. It shows that the BCL men, led by its general secretary, pushed the principal into his office. At one point, Rony also punched him in the head.

While talking to the newspaper yesterday afternoon, the principal could not hold back his tears as he described the incident.

He said Rony along with his fellows intruded into the college around 3:00pm on the day. “They started shouting that I was realising extra money from the HSC examinees.”

“They confined me to the room… and humiliated me in front of my students,” he said in an emotion-choked voice.

“I am not a thief. I am a teacher. If I did anything wrong, there is an education board, education ministry, administration and the government who can take actions against me…” “Is he authrorised to beat me?” said Jahed.

“During the incident, I sent two text messages to the officer-in-charge of the Chawk Bazar Police Station to rescue me,” he claimed. He alleged that police did come to the campus; however, he was “attacked in front of them”.

“During the incident, Rony also ordered me to give back the money to the students,” said Jahed.

Asked, OC Mir Nurul Huda of the police station said on information, police rushed to the college. He, however, did not specifically say if he had received any text message.

He also said no such attack took place in presence of police. “If the principal files any case, we would take action,” he said.

On March 31, BCL activists led by Rony went to the college and demonstrated alleging that the college was realising extra money from the HSC candidates.

They alleged that the principal was not giving the admit cards to the candidates as many of them did not pay Tk 5,000 as part of the college development fee.

“We did not realise any extra money… We took Tk 5,000 from each student as part of the development fee,” said the principal.

“Ours is a private college. We have to pay rent and utility bills. Our teachers do not get salary from the government. We also provide the students with many other facilities, which the government or MPO colleges do not,” he said. “We have 550 candidates and most of them were given admit cards,” he said.

He also claimed that the students took admission to the college agreeing that they would pay the fee.

When asked, Jahed said they had returned the money to the students as the BCL men compelled them to do so. “I did not even file a case. I'm afraid to do so,” he said.

Despite repeated attempts, Rony could not be reached for comments as his mobile phone remained switched off.

He, however, posted a status on his Facebook wall yesterday where he wrote, “…I have protested against the people who have made education, a constitutional right of people, a commodity by looting money and torturing the guardians...

“My one slap, on behalf of the people wronged by Jahed Khan [the principal], ensured that 900+ HSC examinees can sit for the exam. The Tk 45 lakh, looted in a single day from the people, have been returned…

“What can happen to me? Jail, fine? …My one slap has instilled fear into the heart of those involved in education business… It was needed.”