Clashes in front of East West University

Police have clashed with student protesters calling for safer roads at East West University in Dhaka’s Rampura and Aftabnagar.

Several people were injured in the incident, which started at 10:45am on Monday. A reporter was also attacked. Police used tear gas to disperse students in front of the university.

According to eye witnesses, East West University students had occupied the road in front of Merul Badda when they were chased by men carrying sticks.

A local resident told bdnews24.com that Beraid Union Parishad Chairman Jahangir Alam and Shecchashebok League activists were identified among the attackers.

The men blocked traffic and also harassed passersby.

A bdnews24.com reporter saw them beating two people wearing school uniforms.

At one point police, RAB and APBN personnel took up positions in the area. When they told the students to leave the area, they locked the main gate to the university and lit tires on fire.

The students retreated inside East West University when police fired tear gas shells. The armed men on the street were also throwing brickbats at the university.

A group of the men became enraged at Prothom Alo correspondent Nasrin Akhtar Shumi and snatched her phone.

Shumi alleges that she was taken to the Badda Police Outpost, where police erased the data on her phone.