Tensions escalate as anti-quota movement activists face off against pro-quota activists in Science Lab area of Dhaka city on Tuesday. — FE Photo 
At least six people were killed and several hundred injured in widespread clashes between ruling-party activists and police and students Tuesday as blockades crippled the country amid students' quota protests.
The government deployed paramilitary BGB troops in flashpoints and declared schools and colleges across Bangladesh closed sine die for "student safety" as demonstrations in a confrontation pitch continues, firsthand reports by The Financial Express correspondents said.
Of the casualties, three persons, including a student, were killed in Chattogram, two in Dhaka and a Begum Rokeya University student in Rangpur.
Members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in Dhaka, Chattogram, Bogura and Rajshahi in government bid to come to grips with law-and-order situation as throngs of protesters and their rivals ran riot amid arson attacks and vandalism in some places.
Six platoons of the border guards are on patrol in the capital, Dhaka, which virtually remained hemmed in from all sides with city commuting and some air services disrupted to the plight of many people.
According to activists, witnesses and different sources, sporadic clashes took place throughout the day in different parts of the country, including Dhaka, following conflicts that flared up a day earlier from the Dhaka University campus-the citadel of all movements in Bangladesh's history.
The students of different public and private universities started blocking the roads at 15 to 20 spots of the capital at 11 am Tuesday. "The entire capital has been paralyzed by the siege," says a spot account of the melee.
Different parts of the capital city, especially DU and its surrounding areas, witnessed recurrent clashes between the agitating students and Bangladesh Chhatra League activists.
Many were seen brandishing firearms, sticks, iron rod, and local sharp weapons to quell students who have been enforcing different programmes to press home their one-point demand--government jobs-quota-system reform, said the spot reports quoting eyewitnesses.
Students from different private universities also actively joined the movement on the day, who took to streets at different points in Merul, Badda, Mohakhali, Kuril and Gabtoli. Wherever the agitating students tried to do rally, BCL men fell out on them.
General students brought out a procession in Science Lab area in the afternoon to protest an alleged BCL attack on them the previous day.
A student of Dhaka College said Chhatra League and Juba League leaders and activists attacked the procession around 2.00 pm, and since then, there had been frequent fights between the two sides.
Witnesses said bullets were shot from the position of BCL and Juba League towards students which left several wounded.
Earlier, a youth was beaten to death in the same area.
Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Outpost in-charge Bacchu Mia said the youth, whose identity couldn't immediately be confirmed, was taken to the DMCH after 5.15pm. The duty doctor declared him dead.
Chankharpool area near DU Shahidullah Hall also witnessed a major clash from 4pm. Four people were reported shot while more than 60 injured there.
DU administration has banned outsiders' entry to the campus to help calm the situation. Following a proctorial-body meeting, the administration also advised the students should carry their identity cards.
Meanwhile, students of private universities took position in Merul Badda area while students from different schools also spontaneously joined what is dubbed 'student power' movement.
Students from different educational institutions, including BAF Shaheen College, Government Titumir College Southeast University, and the Civil Aviation High School, began gathering in Mohakhali Railgate area around 1:30pm.
Rail connections from the capital to the rest of the country were disrupted as quota-reform activists blocked rail lines at the gateway in Dhaka's Mohakhali area,
Superintendent of the Dhaka District Railway Police Anowar Hossain told the media that train service came to a halt when the students blocked the Mohakhali Rail-gate area around 2.00pm.
Subversives also set two public buses on fire in front of the press club at around 8.30pm and several cocktail went off reportedly there. Clashes and counterattacks were on at different places till the filing of the report at 8.45 into the night.
Meanwhile, a student of Rangpur's Begum Rokeya University was killed during a clash between police and protesters on the university campus.
The victim was identified as Abu Sayeed, 22, a student of the English department of the university.
Commissioner of Rangpur Metropolitan Police Moniruzzaman confirmed the media about the death.
Coordinators of Student Movement against Discrimination, a platform for quota-reform movement, told the FE that they would announce their next course of action.
However, a pause was later announced for today on account of the holy Ashura.
Jahangirnagar University Correspondent adds: Around 200 students and two professors and eight journalists sustained injuries during pitched battles at Jahangirnagar University (JU) in quota-reform agitation.
The incident, which had occurred since Monday evening till Tuesday morning, was reportedly attributed to administrative negligence by some students and teachers present, who also alleged direct assistance from the police administration.
Eight journalists were injured in police outrage and BCL attacks.
On Tuesday noon, upon hearing that outsiders had gathered at the university gate, agitating students began gathering at Shaheed Minar with sticks.
They then started patrolling up to Bishmail Gate, the main gate adjacent to the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
Approximately 4-5 thousand students from nearby educational institutions joined the 6-7 thousand university students.
FE Chattogram Correspondent reports three people were killed and at least 50 injured in continuous clashes till evening. Three platoons of BGB were deployed to control the situation.
The victims were identified as a furniture-shop worker, Mohammed Farooq, Mohammed Feroj and a third-year student of Sociology Department of Chittagong College, Mohammed Wasim Akram.
Their bodies were kept in Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Mortuary. Director of CMCH Brigadier General Taslim Uddin said the all victims were shot.
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