Students clash with troops, police: 40 hurt
Tuesday, 21 August 2007
Violence spread through Dhaka University amid student protest against the alleged beating of some students by some army-men following altercation over watching a football match, witnesses said, reports UNB.
At least 40 students were injured in the troubles that started following the quarrel between some plainclothes army personnel and students at Dhaka University playground Monday afternoon, campus sources said.
"After an exchange of hot words during the football match between Journalism and Public Administration departments at about 4:20pm, the army-men allegedly started beating the students, leaving at least five of them injured," says a spot account of the melee.
Four of the injured were admitted to University Hospital while one critically injured admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Later the students came out to the TSC and brought out a protest procession. The students demanded immediate withdrawal of the army cam from the campus by 11am Tuesday.
"As demonstrations continued, police charged baton to disperse the agitating students. Hundreds of police were deployed on the campus to come to grips with the situation," the firsthand report said.
Having been dispersed by the police, around 300 students regrouped in front of the central library on the campus and declared strike for Tuesday at the university. If their demands not met by then, they would go for "indefinite strike".
Students took stage at their respective halls and continued demonstrating by chanting slogans demanding "exemplary punishment" of the army personnel responsible for the incident and their withdrawal from the campus.
bdnews24.com adds: The students and police concentrated the battle between F Rahman Hall and Nilkhet crossing at 9:30pm as authorities put up barricades on all entry points to the campus. The campus was made off-limits to traffic.
The students of F Rahman Hall burnt newspapers to protest the police action, said bdnews24.com correspondent Mokarram Hossain Shuvo from the scene.
The police pushed their way into the DU medical centre and DMCH and beat the students who took shelter there from police beatings or gathered for treatment.
The action came after a group of students marched to the army camp and pelted it with stones. The troops countered the students with batons. A student, named Majedul Islam, broke his leg in the beatings.
On the other front of the battle, some other angry students shouted slogans against the army as a contingent of police stood guard in front of the residence of the vice chancellor apparently for a fight.
The incident appeared to be an irony. The same day, Dhaka University and the National Defence College held a discussion on how to improve the army's relations with civilians.
Acting vice-chancellor for DU AFM Yusuf Haider told bdnews24.com that he had held a meeting with army officers after the incident.
He said the army officers regretted the incident.
At least 40 students were injured in the troubles that started following the quarrel between some plainclothes army personnel and students at Dhaka University playground Monday afternoon, campus sources said.
"After an exchange of hot words during the football match between Journalism and Public Administration departments at about 4:20pm, the army-men allegedly started beating the students, leaving at least five of them injured," says a spot account of the melee.
Four of the injured were admitted to University Hospital while one critically injured admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Later the students came out to the TSC and brought out a protest procession. The students demanded immediate withdrawal of the army cam from the campus by 11am Tuesday.
"As demonstrations continued, police charged baton to disperse the agitating students. Hundreds of police were deployed on the campus to come to grips with the situation," the firsthand report said.
Having been dispersed by the police, around 300 students regrouped in front of the central library on the campus and declared strike for Tuesday at the university. If their demands not met by then, they would go for "indefinite strike".
Students took stage at their respective halls and continued demonstrating by chanting slogans demanding "exemplary punishment" of the army personnel responsible for the incident and their withdrawal from the campus.
bdnews24.com adds: The students and police concentrated the battle between F Rahman Hall and Nilkhet crossing at 9:30pm as authorities put up barricades on all entry points to the campus. The campus was made off-limits to traffic.
The students of F Rahman Hall burnt newspapers to protest the police action, said bdnews24.com correspondent Mokarram Hossain Shuvo from the scene.
The police pushed their way into the DU medical centre and DMCH and beat the students who took shelter there from police beatings or gathered for treatment.
The action came after a group of students marched to the army camp and pelted it with stones. The troops countered the students with batons. A student, named Majedul Islam, broke his leg in the beatings.
On the other front of the battle, some other angry students shouted slogans against the army as a contingent of police stood guard in front of the residence of the vice chancellor apparently for a fight.
The incident appeared to be an irony. The same day, Dhaka University and the National Defence College held a discussion on how to improve the army's relations with civilians.
Acting vice-chancellor for DU AFM Yusuf Haider told bdnews24.com that he had held a meeting with army officers after the incident.
He said the army officers regretted the incident.