About 20 left students were hurt by ruling party-backed Bangladesh Chhatra League in Narayanganj on Wednesday.

Activists of Progressive Students’ Alliance, a platform of the left-leaning student bodies, were waiting on Tolaram College campus to submit a charter of demands to the principal when they came under the attack. 

The demands were to scrape the newly adopted entrance procedures; take stern action against campus hooliganism, introduce democratic environment for students’ politics and eliminate corruption in admissions.

Bystanders said police showed inaction when the attack was reportedly carried on right in front the police present on the spot.

Earlier, PSA brought out a procession to press home their demands.

According to media reports, PSA leaders and activists were going to submit a letter containing their demands to the college principal, but were stopped by the BCL leaders who locked the front gate taking position there.

At this point a group of men, allegedly BCL activists, all carrying sticks, started beating the demonstrating PSA members leaving about 20 injured, including a cameraman of Samay TV. The injured were admitted to a local hospital in Narayanganj.

Tolaram College BCL president Habibur Rahman Riyad, however, brushed aside the allegations claiming those trying to enter the college campus were outsiders, and ‘general students’ stopped them.

Narayanganj PSA convener Moitri Ghosh claimed that their demonstration was peaceful, but they were attacked by BCL activists. She also alleged that police members present on the spot did come to help them.

‘We told police to save our sisters. They (police) told us, “You better leave this place. What can we do”,’ Moitri added.

Fatullah police sub-inspector Mostafa refused to comment on the allegation, but he confirmed the incident.

PSA central body condemned the attack asking for bring the accused to justice. However, no case was filed as of filing this report.