At least 80 injured as Chhatra Dal and Shibir clash at three places in Dhaka
The clashes followed two more similar incidents at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur and Dhaka University over the past two days.
At least 80 people were injured in clashes between activists of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir at Jagannath University, Dhaka College and Government Madrasah-e-Alia in the capital today (4 August), as fresh violence erupted over campus programmes, hall accommodation and student politics.
The latest incidents extended a wave of campus violence that began at Dhaka University's Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall on Sunday (2 August) and spread to Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur, on Monday (3 August), taking the number of injured to more than 100 across five university and college campuses in three days.
Tensions between the two student organisations have remained high since the clash at Dhaka University on Saturday, with each side accusing the other of provoking the successive confrontations.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Jagannath University
At least 50 people, including JnU Chhatra Shibir President and Jagannath University Central Students' Union (JnUCSU) General Secretary Abdul Alim Arif and Chhatra Dal leader Yasin Saif, were injured in clashes at Jagannath University.
The violence began when JnUCSU leaders tried to enter a seminar marking the second anniversary of the July Uprising with placards demanding progress on the university's second campus, temporary halls, improved medical facilities and recruitment of doctors and technicians.
The protesters sought to draw the attention of UGC Chairman Mamun Ahmed, who attended the event with Vice-Chancellor Prof Md Rais Uddin.
Witnesses said Chhatra Dal activists blocked their entry and asked them not to disrupt the seminar, leading to an altercation and later clashes near the Shaheed Minar.
JnUCSU Vice-President Riazul Islam and Chhatra Shakti leader Shahin Mia accused Chhatra Dal of attacking their activists.
Chhatra Dal Convener Mehedi Hasan Hemal denied the allegation, claiming Shibir and its allies had planned to disrupt the programme and insult the UGC chairman.
The university formed a four-member probe committee, while Kotwali Police Station OC Rabiul Islam said the situation was calm by evening after the injured were shifted from National Medical College to other hospitals.
Meanwhile, police remained alert in the National Medical College area, where some injured activists had earlier gone for treatment. Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rabiul Islam said the situation was calm and that those receiving treatment had been shifted to other hospitals.
Dhaka College and Alia Madrasah
At Dhaka College, at least 27 people were injured after clashes erupted around 1pm at Gallery No 2.
Chhatra Dal claimed the violence began after one of its leaders, Parvez Mosharraf, was assaulted by Shibir activists.
Chhatra Shibir, however, alleged that its activists were attacked by Chhatra Dal while putting up banners for a discussion titled "Expectations and Achievements of the July Uprising."
Reports said 20 Shibir activists and seven Chhatra Dal activists were injured, while Shibir Finance Secretary Abdul Malek was admitted to Popular Medical College Hospital.
College Principal Prof AKM Elias said police were informed, while DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) Shawkat Ali said the situation returned to normal by evening after Shibir activists withdrew from the Science Laboratory area.
At Government Madrasah-e-Alia, clashes over alleged control of dormitory seats saw both sides engage in chase and counter-chase, brick-throwing and attacks with rods and sticks.
Principal Mohammad Obaidul Haque was allegedly assaulted and hospitalised, while two injured Chhatra Dal leaders, Sanaullah and Nishar Uddin Rabbi, were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
After nearly 90 minutes of clashes, Shibir activists fled, and hundreds of Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal activists later entered Allama Kashgari Hall, where several rooms were reportedly vandalised. Additional police were deployed to prevent further violence.
Earlier clashes
On Sunday, around 10 people were injured at Begum Rokeya University after a dispute over an exhibition organised by Chhatra Shibir to mark the July Uprising.
Chhatra Dal activists objected to the display of a photograph of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia alongside photographs of executed Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, describing them as collaborators of Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War.
According to both organisations, Chhatra Dal leaders asked Shibir to remove Khaleda Zia's photograph from the display, but Shibir refused and asked them to leave.
The disagreement escalated into an altercation and later into clashes, temporarily disrupting traffic on the Rangpur-Dhaka highway.
At Dhaka University's Dr Muhammad Shahidullah Hall on the day before, activists of the two organisations clashed over an investigation into allegations that two personal guests staying in the room of a Shibir-backed hall student union leader were involved in an alleged homosexual act.
The incident sparked protests by students in the hall over the guests' presence and the hall leader's conduct, eventually escalating into clashes between Chhatra Dal and Chhatra Shibir activists. Both organisations blamed each other for triggering the violence.
Rival claims
Chhatra Shibir President Nurul Islam Saddam alleged that Chhatra Dal was attempting to establish dominance on campuses without provocation and criticised university administrations for failing to intervene effectively. He warned that continued attacks could trigger wider resistance from students.
Chhatra Dal, however, rejected the allegation. In a statement signed by its Office Secretary Jahangir Alam, the organisation accused Shibir of orchestrating violence to divert attention from controversies surrounding its members and said it remained committed to peaceful, democratic politics while opposing attempts to create unrest on campuses.
The series of clashes has disrupted academic activities at several institutions, prompting renewed calls for university administrations and law enforcement agencies to restore order and ensure a safe learning environment.
