Police allegedly beat students at candlelight vigil in Narayanganj

Police have allegedly beaten students holding a candlelight vigil in Narayanganj as part of the countrywide 'Remembering Our Heroes' programme announced by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

According to students and eyewitnesses, the incident took place on a field near Chashara Shaheed Minar in Narayanganj city in the evening.

Police, however, have denied the allegations and claimed that the students were chased away.

"We had information that students would hold a candlelight vigil, torch procession and protest procession. They have been chased away. We did not beat them," Narayanganj Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Shahadat Hossain told The Business Standard.

Earlier on the day, at around 6:00pm, students from adjacent educational institutions began to gather near the Shaheed Minar.

Members of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (SHUJAN), including the organisation's Narayanganj unit President Dhiman Saha,  also joined them. Saha attended the programme accompanying his child- one of the students at the programme.

"Today, the students wanted to observe the candle lighting programme in honour of the martyrs [who were killed during recent protests]. But the police chased them away. We requested the police several times to allow us to carry out our activities in a peaceful manner. But they deployed riot police in front of the innocent unarmed students. We condemn this incident," Saha told TBS. 

Muniya Prottasha, a student of the Tolaram College, said, ""The police baton charged our peaceful position. They don't allow us to perform tasks like lighting a candle. We did not come to do anything wrong. We have come to protest the injustice done to us.

"Where the police were supposed to provide security, they shot and killed unarmed students. We have gathered to protest this killing."