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Published : 27 Jan 2025, 10:42 AM
A clash between students of Dhaka University and the seven college affiliates that began with chases and counter-chases around midnight ended in the wee hours of the morning, but the situation on the DU campus and surrounding areas, including New Market, remains tense.
The clash spread across the campus amid an extended power outage in large parts of the Nilkhet, New Market and Palashi areas, sparked fear as the noise of sound grenades, tear gas and rubber bullets rang out.
Several students were reported injured in the Mukti and Ganatantra Toran areas of Dhaka University campus amid the clashes from 11pm to 2:30am on Sunday. Seven of them have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, according to a staff member of the hospital's admission information centre.
Around 2:30am, in response to a call from the students from seven colleges, one group left the Nilkhet intersection and returned to the Dhaka College campus. However, some students still remained in a huddle in the New Market area.
The Dhaka University students were scattered throughout the Hall neighbourhood on the campus.
Law enforcement personnel, including Border Guard Bangladesh, or BGB, tried to normalise the situation by taking up positions between the two sides. Four platoons of the BGB were deployed to control the situation amid the back-and-forth between the two groups of students. Police also used sound grenades to disperse them.
However, as both sides remain firm on their stance, tensions are still running high on campus.
Dhaka University has suspended all classes and exams scheduled for Monday “due to unavoidable circumstances”.
Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan expressed deep regret over the "unfortunate" incident on campus.
In a separate statement issued in the wee hours of Monday, the vice-chancellor called on students of Dhaka University and seven government colleges to uphold harmony and foster amicable relations.
Prof Niaz also announced an emergency meeting with the principals of the seven colleges on Monday, where issues related to student interests would be discussed.
He hoped that matters within the university's jurisdiction could be resolved through dialogue.
Expressing deep concern over the incident, the VC said: "The nation is currently going through a critical period. In such times, we must remain vigilant to prevent any third party from exploiting the situation."
Earlier, Dhaka University Pro-Vice Chancellor Mamun Ahmed expressed his sorrow over the violence and called on all parties to remain patient.
Angered by his words, the students of seven colleges protested by blocking three road intersections.
Later, in a video message around 1:30am, Prof Mamun said: "It is regrettable that the discussion with the students of seven colleges at my office in the evening has led to an unexpected incident at night. I'm deeply saddened by it.
“I believe this misunderstanding will be resolved through mutual discussions in a fair environment. I sincerely appeal to all parties to be patient to defuse the tension that erupted between the students of Dhaka University and the seven colleges over the incident."
Students of the seven colleges have said they will hold a press conference to announce their demands and protest the attack on them.
The protesting students of Dhaka College claim that some of them were injured in an attack by Dhaka University students and the police and that they had to be taken to various local hospitals.
At least seven people have been treated at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, according to Inspector Md Faruk, the officer-in-charge of the hospital's police outpost at 2:30am.
Mahbub, the official in charge of the hospital's emergency department admission centre, said that seven Dhaka University students were injured in the clash and had been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Inspecting the admission list, he said: "Among the injured are Shamim, Ripon, Imtiaz, Monirul, Ismail, Sagar and Mahin."
STUDENTS FROM 7 COLLEGES SUDDENLY HEAD TOWARDS CAMPUS
The clashes started with chases and counter-chases. Dhaka University students were positioned inside the Mukti and Ganatantra Toron areas of the campus. The students of seven colleges at the Nilkhet intersection then began moving towards the residence of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mamun Ahmed. Later, students of Eden College also joined the group of college students around midnight.
Law enforcers tried to take up positions between the two sides, trying to separate them and bring the situation under control. They used sound grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets to try and disperse the students. The ground shook from the use of the sound grenades.
Dhaka University Proctor Saifuddin Ahmed told reporters, "We will contact the administration of the seven colleges to bring the situation under control."
As tensions escalated in the campus and New Market areas, four platoons of the BGB were deployed in the area.
BGB spokesman Shariful Islam said in a message, "Four platoons of the BGB have been deployed to maintain order and provide assistance to the police after students from Dhaka University and seven colleges took up positions against each other."
On Sunday evening, students of seven colleges blocked Shahbagh, Science Laboratory, and Technical intersections to press home a five-point charter of demands.
The students claimed they had gone to meet the pro-vice chancellor to present their demands, but were insulted by him. In protest, they took to the streets.
Abdur Rahman, a student at Dhaka College and a focal person of the movement to convert the seven colleges into universities, said: "The vice-chancellor must apologise to the students of the seven colleges. If he apologises, we will clear the road."
Then, around 11:15pm, students of the seven colleges led a procession from the Science Lab intersection towards the Dhaka University campus.
Later, students from various residential halls of Dhaka College joined them.
The students who started the protest in the evening left the Science Lab intersection at 10:45pm, Dhaka College student Walid told bdnews24.com.
They took up position in front of the Mukti and Ganatantra Toran areas on the campus to the Nilkhet intersection. At one point, they announced that they would move towards the vice-chancellor's residence carrying sticks.
They demanded an apology from Pro VC Mamun for his statements.
Hearing of the protests, Dhaka University students from different residential halls gathered in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall with sticks.
Around midnight, the two sides began chases and counter-chases. Brickbats were thrown.
At one point, Dhaka University students chased the students of seven colleges towards Gate No. 4 of New Market.
Later, the students of seven colleges charged at the students of Dhaka University.
The police lobbed sound grenades to try and maintain control of the situation.
At 1:30am on Monday, tensions still simmered in the Mukti, Ganatantra Toran, and Nilkhet areas.
TRAFFIC JAMS, SUFFERING AMID BLOCKADES AT THREE INTERSECTIONS
Students of the seven government colleges had started blocking the Shahbagh intersection, the Science Laboratory intersection and the Technical intersection on Mirpur Road in Dhaka to push for their demands, which included the abolition of the quota system in admission tests.
The blockades led to severe traffic jams on the surrounding roads, causing hardship for many, especially office workers returning home after work.
Police said that students started blocking the road around 7:30pm.
Rajib Gain, assistant commissioner of the Dhanmondi Zone of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Traffic Department, said that a group of Dhaka College students blocked the Science Laboratory intersection while another group from the same college had taken up position at the Shahbagh intersection.
Bimal Chandra Barman, assistant commissioner of the DMP's Mirpur Division, said that Bangla College students blocked the Technical intersection after 7:30pm.
"They paused the blockade for a time but then went back and occupied the road."
Due to the blockade at the Technical intersection, the entirety of Mirpur Road, starting from Gabtoli, the gateway to Dhaka, was gridlocked.
Later, the students left the Shahbagh and Technical intersections. However, the students kept blocking the Science Lab intersection until 10:45pm. Later, they left for the Dhaka University campus.
WHY ARE THE STUDENTS ANGRY?
Dhaka College student Abdur Rahman, the “focal person” of the movement to convert the seven colleges into a university, told bdnews24.com: "Preparations are underway to give the seven college an independent institutional form.”
"We went to Dhaka University's Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Mamun Ahmed to make some demands in this regard. But the deputy vice chancellor insulted us. In protest, we blocked Science Lab, the Nilkhet intersection and Elephant Road."
He said that the students would clear the road if the vice chancellor apologised.
Mamun told bdnews24.com, “Students from the seven colleges submitted a memorandum on Jan 5 with some demands regarding admissions.”
“When I left the office in the afternoon, 40 to 50 students came to talk to me about those demands. I told them that I would talk to two of their representatives. But instead, all of them tried to push and shove their way into my office. I told them, if you mob in here, I will not listen to you. This made them angry.”
A meeting has been called with the principals of the colleges on Monday afternoon regarding the students' demands. A decision on the issue will be taken after discussions with the principals and stakeholders.
