Dhaka, Sept 4 (bdnews24.com) – At least 20 people were injured Thursday after physiotherapy students at the National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation clashed with hospital doctors and staff, pressing authorities to establish a full fledged college, the NITOR director said.
The situation calmed down after police and Rapid Action battalion came on the scene. Police arrested nine including one teacher in the incident.
Authorities were asked to halt all classes until further notice, NITOR director AKM Ishak said.
Of the injured, 15 students were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
The violence sparked off around 11am as students vandalised their classrooms, teachers' rooms and office furniture and window panes; as hospital staff attempted to obstruct them, the students grew more violent and clashes ensued, Ishak said.
Hospital patients and their visitors were forced to search for safe refuge, the director said.
He said the students had been pressing for a proper teaching college with the hospital for some time. A group of the health ministry had also visited the premises in this regard.
Farzana Ferdousi, a final year student of physiotherapy, said that all allocations of funds had been made to build the college.
"The health ministry has sought a 'no objection' statement from the director," she said.
But the director was delaying, she claimed.
"We asked him yesterday to give the statement. But he refused."
"As we came to class Thursday, a group of teachers and staff attack us," she claimed.
"We took shelter in the room of our coordinator Humayun Kabir to save ourselves, but they followed us there. 15 students were injured."
Police eventually rescued them, Farzana said.
On the student's allegation of refusing to give a 'no objection' statement, director Ishak said that the students were demanding a college inside the hospital grounds.
"There is not sufficient place for a college inside the hospital. We want to establish one alongside," he said.
Tejgaon police chief Lutfor Rahman said that they had arrested physiotherapy course coordinator Humayun Kabir and eight students in the incident.
Charges were pressed against 18 people including the teacher at Tejgaon Police Station, said the police chief.
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