Teacher-student brawl at Dhaka University leaves eight injured

A brawl between a group of students and teachers during a meeting of the Dhaka University Senate has left eight people injured.

The scuffle started when the students, protesting against the nomination of vice-chancellor candidates without their representatives, tried to enter into the Senate building and the teachers blocked their entry.

Witnesses said, at least two teachers and six students were injured in the incident that occurred in front of the Senate Building during a meeting convened to nominate the VC panel on Saturday.

Both the students and teachers blamed each other for the brawl.

The Senate called the meeting ahead of the end of the tenure of current VC AAMS Arefin Siddique.

The pro-BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami teachers boycotted the meeting while a faction of pro-Awami League teachers also objected to it for not nominating registered graduate members of the Senate before holding the meeting.

Meanwhile, some leftist students’ organisations announced demonstration demanding inclusion of students’ representatives in the Senate through Dhaka University Central Students’ Union or DUCSU election.

At around 3:30pm, about 20-25 protesters carrying placards took out a procession from in front of the Aparajeyo Bangla sculpture and later staged a sit- in at the Senate Building gate.

Masud Al Mahadi, who is coordinating the protests, said the election of VC candidates was ‘illegal’ without representation of current and former students.

At one stage of the demonstration, the protesters broke the lock on a gate of the Senate Building during the meeting and tried to advance towards the venue.

Witnesses said the teachers of the proctorial body guarding the Senate meeting stopped the protesters and the two sides started a brawl.

A teacher fell after being pushed by the protesters, and the scuffles ensued. At least two teachers and six students were injured.

The injured teachers are clinical pharmacy department’s Abdul Muhit and Rakibul Hoque of management and information system department.

They received first aid at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Rakibul Hoque has broken a finger in the melee.

The injured students included Sadiq Reza, Salman Farsi, and Abu Rayhan of Chhatra Federation, and Pragati Barman Toma of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front. Injured students Nasir Abdullah and Sadiqul Islam are not members of any organisation.

Proctor Amzad Ali told reporters that he asked the students to "keep their demonstration outside the Senate Building premises."

“The teachers pushed them back when they broke the gate and tried to enter the meeting venue,” he said.

“I don’t want to say that the students kicked and boxed the teachers. But their behaviour was rude and discourteous.

“They attacked the teachers even after getting the opportunity to demonstrate peacefully,” he added.