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Published : 23 Jul 2025, 09:59 PM
Police have filed a case against up to 1,200 unnamed individuals, mostly students, over alleged rioting, vandalism, and attempted murder of law enforcers during Tuesday’s clashes at the Secretariat.
The protest that led to students clashing with law enforcers was sparked by outrage over the deadly jet crash into Milestone School and College and the delayed response of the education ministry.
Sub-Inspector Golam Mukti Mahmud of the Secretariat Security Division lodged the case late on Tuesday.
The case accuses demonstrators of breaking through barricades, attacking police and paramilitary personnel with sticks and bricks, and damaging state vehicles. The students, along with what police called “miscreants”, allegedly forced their way inside the compound in a violent confrontation.
A Dhaka court accepted the case on Wednesday and directed police to submit an investigation report by Aug 28.
The protest erupted a day after a Bangladesh Air Force fighter jet crashed into Milestone School and College in Diabari, killing 29 people, mostly schoolchildren, and injuring 68 others.
After the government declared Tuesday the national mourning day for losses suffered in the jet crash, the Ministry of Education announced the exam delay only around 3am, but many students were unaware of the notice in the small hours and left home for test centres in the morning.
The move triggered fury among students who took to the streets in protest.
On Tuesday afternoon, students from institutions including Dhaka College, City College, and Adamjee Cantonment College surrounded the Secretariat, broke down its main gate, and stormed the premises.
Security forces fired tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them. At least 66 injured students were treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Protesters demanded the resignation of both Education CR Abrar and Secretary Siddique Zobair, blaming them for the chaotic and insensitive handling of the post-crash exam crisis.
As of Wednesday evening, no arrests had been reported, but police said they were analysing CCTV footage to identify suspects. The charges include unlawful assembly, obstruction of public servants, attempted murder, and damage to public property.
