Some Eden College students protest at midnight for politics-free campus

Police say the demonstration was confined to the campus

A section of students of Eden Mohila College has staged a midnight protest, demanding a complete ban on student politics on the campus.

The unrest began around 11pm on Saturday when a group of students broke the locks of the college's main gate to gather and demonstrate.

"Some students from Eden College and the proposed Hazrat Rabeya Basri residential hall started the protest at 11pm," Smriti Akhter, a student of the college, told bdnews24.com.

"At one point, they even attempted to break several gates inside the campus to join the rally."

The protesters marched through the campus, chanting slogans to end all forms of political influence within the institution.

The protest was reportedly triggered by an incident earlier in the afternoon when the words "Politics-free campus", previously painted on the college gate, were covered with fresh paint.

This act of erasure sparked outrage among the general students, leading to the midnight mobilisation.

Videos circulating on social media showed protesters tearing down and attempting to set fire to banners and festoons belonging to Jatiyotabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of the BNP.

Lalbagh Police chief Yasin Ali told bdnews24.com around 12:30am that the situation was under control.

"They are demanding a politics-free campus. They protested for a while and then returned to their respective halls. The entire demonstration took place within the campus grounds," Yasin claimed.

Repeated attempts to contact the college Principal Prof Hosne Ara Parveen via telephone for a comment were unsuccessful.