Death of student sparks fresh violence at DU

FE Team | Published: February 04, 2010 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

A DU student returning a tear-gas shell to policemen during sporadic clashes Wednesday, as they took position on the campus following the death of a student of AF Rahman Hall Abu Bakkar Siddique (inset). — FE photos

FE Report
Students of Dhaka University Wednesday went on the rampage vandalising several vehicles on the campus following the death of a student, who was injured on Tuesday's factional clashes of BCL.
The unruly students also damaged the office of the university proctor Dr Saiful Islam and demanded exemplary punishment to the masterminds of the midnight skirmishes.
Witnesses said the students become violent after receiving the news of the death of Abu Bakar Siddique, a meritorious 3rd-year student of the department of Islamic History and Culture, at about 10:30am.
On information, additional police force, sent to the spot, brought the situation under control by clubbing the agitators and lobbing a number of teargas shells to disperse brickbat and stone throwing students that turned the country's highest seat of learning into a veritable battlefield.
A faction of BCL claimed that the deceased was a member of the student-wing of the ruling party Awami
League. But the victim's family denied the claim and said he was a meritorious student and was not active in student politics.
"This is very unfortunate. The culprits will have to face justice," DU vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique told reporters and added the authorities would form a probe committee at a Syndicate meeting. A case will be filed on behalf of the DU authorities.
The meeting was continuing till writing of this report at 8:45pm.
Later in the evening, leaders and activists of Chhatra Union damaged several vehicles and declared launching of a tougher programme on Thursday, including confining the VC office of the university, in protest against the death.
Abu Bakar was admitted Dhaka Medical College Hospital after being hit on the head by a teargas shell during the clash between two rival groups of BCL at Sir AF Rahman Hall.
Meanwhile, BCL central committee in a quick move dissolved the committee of Sir AF Rahman Hall unit and dismissed Faruk from the BCL.