Clash with cops marks Shibir strike at RU

A clash erupted between the activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir and police on Rajshahi University (RU) campus on Thursday during a strike, enforced by the university unit of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami. Shibir called the strike demanding immediate arrest of those involved in chopping off one of the legs of a leader of the organisation on June 16. Witnesses said the Shibir activists locked in the clash with police on the compound of the Fine Arts Faculty as the law enforces obstructed a procession they attempted to bring out around 8:30am. Police fired several rounds of bullet to disperse the strikers and Shibir activists also blasted two crude bombs. But none was injured in the explosion. Earlier, four crude bombs were exploded on the campus in the morning as the Shibir strike began. Campus sources said two crude bombs went off in front of the administrative building-2 of the university around 7:00am while one in front of the university main gate around 8:00am and another beside science building-1 at about 8:30am. None was injured by the bomb explosion. Police recovered an unexploded bomb from a road in front of the university bus stand in the morning. None was arrested in this connection. A tense situation was prevailing on the campus over the bomb explosion. No classes were held in the departments as services of all buses of the university remained suspended due to the strike. RU proctor Tariqul Hasan said all buses were kept off the streets fearing vandalism, adding that no class was held around 8:00am, according to UNB.