Who set expressway toll plaza, Setu Bhaban on fire?

On 18 July, the violent conflict between ruling party men, police, and agitators peaked in Mohakhali during the student-led quota reform movement.

Amid the daylong clashes, a group set fire to several government buildings, including the Disaster Management Bhaban, Setu Bhaban, and the Elevated Expressway toll plaza, causing widespread panic.

Questions arose about the identities of those responsible for the vandalism and arson. Were they genuine students or individuals posing as students to instigate trouble?

Eyewitnesses described the perpetrators as aggressive and behaving more like goons than peaceful protesters. Some even identified them as Awami League operatives who were attempting to discredit the student movement.

How chaos unfolded at Mohakhali on that day 

The morning of 18 July started off in calm. By 10am, students had gathered at the Mohakhali intersection to peacefully demand the job quota reforms, waving banners and chanting slogans.

However, the calm didn't last. Within an hour, tensions rose with the arrival of police and Awami League supporters.

The situation deteriorated rapidly as the police fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound grenades against the protesters. The once-peaceful protest turned violent, with students who had been passive initially, retaliating by throwing bricks at the police.

The streets of Mohakhali turned into a battleground, with students, police, and Awami League supporters engaged in a series of intense chase and counter-chase.

The air was thick with smoke from tear gas and fires ignited by agitators, making it hard for one to see or breathe.

Debris from sound grenades, tear gas canisters, and brickbats littered the streets. In the chaos, numerous students and bystanders were injured by flying bricks and rubber bullets.

Throughout the day, journalists also became targets of violent assault while trying to cover the incidents. Brickbats were hurled at them, and one journalist was injured in the chaos.

The hostility from both protesters and Awami League supporters created a perilous environment for reporters.

From the safety of the Mohakhali flyover, journalists observed a disturbing sight between 3pm and 4pm — a massive plume of smoke rising near Titumir College, signalling a major arson incident.

Amid the chaos, this correspondent managed to reach the scene of a significant arson attack on the Disaster Management Bhaban, some 2.6km from the college.

Security guards from a nearby building, initially reluctant to speak, said that a small group had set a car on fire in front of the building, sparking the blaze. Fearing further violence, they urged this correspondent to leave as more agitators approached.

The reporter still moved closer and took snapshots of the burning building despite warnings from the crowd.

The crowd grew increasingly agitated and aggressive, and insisted that no photos or videos be taken.

Within an hour, reports of more incidents of arson emerged, including one at Setu Bhaban in Banani. The reporter tried to reach the scene but encountered resistance from increasingly hostile individuals.

The presence of goons among the agitators became clear, as their aggressive behavior sharply contrasted with the earlier student protests.

Several bystanders expressed similar concerns to the reporter, stating that ruling party members are doing this to discredit the student movement.

As dusk approached, the situation grew even more chaotic, with the Elevated Expressway toll plaza at Banani becoming another target of arson.

A group of stick-wielding individuals, some of them middle-aged, formed a barricade, blocking the road and trapping office-goers who were trying to head home.

The fires and destruction created widespread panic among commuters, who were left stranded and unsure how to escape the escalating violence.

The chaos deepened as a motorcycle, an ambulance, and a covered van were set ablaze, further heightening the sense of fear and uncertainty in the area.

The reporter, concealing his journalist identity to avoid confrontation, managed to capture some images from a distance. The turmoil persisted until around 11pm.