20 injured in students-police clash in Dhaka’s Rampura

At least 20 people have been injured when students of a private university clashes with police in Dhaka’s Rampura.

The students of East West University on Wednesday afternoon blocked the Pragati Sarani at Aftabnagar demanding withdrawal of VAT imposed by the government on the private universities.

The street, one of the busiest in the capital, is situated right beside the institution.

The EWU students and teachers alleged police had attacked them and opened fire during the clash, but the law enforcers refuted the claim.

The students claimed police fired rubber bullets and buckshot at that time.

The university’s Assistant Proctor Maruf Rahman told bdnews24.com at least six persons, including Additional Registrar Mahfiqur Rahman, were shot.

The injured students including those who were shot were rushed to Farazy Hospital at Banasree.

Those with bullet wounds have been identified as ‘Munni’, ‘Rashed’, ‘Shamim’, ‘Sunny’ and ‘Yasir’, he said.

Maruf said Farazy Hospital doctors later transferred Mahfiqur, who had six to seven bullet wounds on his body, to Gulshan’s United Hospital.

Nazrul Islam, an assistant of a Farazy Hospital’s emergency doctor, said at least 20 students with different kinds of wounds were being treated there.

The students were dispersed after the clash, but several hundreds of them returned to the busy street in the evening again and continued their demonstration by blocking it.

The government in the 2015-16 fiscal’s budget proposed 7.5 percent VAT on tuition fees for higher education in all private universities, and medical and engineering colleges.

On July 4, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issued an order imposing the VAT.

Students of these private institutions have been protesting against the decision since then.

EWU’s BBA student Md Raihan told bdnews24.com they were holding a peaceful protest on Tuesday afternoon demanding withdrawal of the imposed VAT when police suddenly swooped on them.

“They charged baton on us and started shooting,” he said.

Computer science student Jahid Ahmed said, “Several policemen from Badda Police Station, including constables Shahin, Jamal, and Abul opened fire on us.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Gulshan Division Deputy Commissioner Moshtak Ahmed admitted that police charged baton on the students, but claimed no shooting took place.

“The students who took position on the street were disturbing the traffic. That’s why they were moved away from the street, but no one opened fire.”

Badda police OC MA Jalil said at least 12 policemen were injured when the students hurled bricks.

Asked whether they had opened fire, he said, “Police did fire some rubber bullets in the air.”

After the incident, East-West University Proctor Anindita Pal said the university would stay closed on Thursday.