Ideal College, Dhaka College students engage in street clashes once again

Traffic was suspended for nearly half an hour before police restore order

Students of Dhanmondi’s Ideal College and Dhaka College have again clashed in the Science Laboratory area of Dhaka.

The confrontation began around 11:30am on Thursday, triggering chases and counter-chases between groups of students, New Market Police chief Mohammad Ayub said.

Additional police personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control. They dispersed the students and sent them back to their respective campuses.

Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells during the operation.

The violence led to a temporary halt in traffic on the road stretching from Science Laboratory to New Market.

“By around 12pm, the situation was brought under control. Traffic later returned to normal,” the officer said.

Police, however, had no information on whether anyone was injured in the clash.

Asked about the cause, the officer Ayub said: “Only they can explain why it started. We do not know why such incidents keep recurring every few days.”

On Nov 9 last year, students of Dhaka College and Ideal College reached a verbal “peace agreement” brokered by New Market Police, pledging not to engage in disputes or violence.

Despite the agreement, students again clashed on Dec 9, barely a month later.

Students of Dhaka College, Dhaka City College and Ideal College -- three long-established institutions in the capital -- have frequently been involved in fights over minor issues, which at times turn into large-scale clashes.

Such incidents often leave law enforcers struggling to restore order while causing serious disruption for commuters.