15 injured, including cops, in Duet clashes over new VC appointment
Chhatra Dal says the outgoing Duet administration and Shibir trying to destabilise the campus.
At least 15 people, including eight police personnel, were injured in clashes involving activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, police and student groups at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (Duet) today (17 May) over the joining of newly appointed Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Iqbal.
The unrest erupted around 10am in front of the university's main gate after a section of students backed by Shibir took position inside the campus gate and hurled bricks at police and students gathered outside during protests against his appointment, police said.
Among the injured were Gazipur Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner Taherul Haque Chowhan, Gazipur Sadar Upazila UNO Sazzat Hossain, a local journalist and 5-6 students.
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Confirming the matter, Gazipur Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Aminul Islam said, "Shibir-backed students inside the gate threw bricks at police, journalists and students outside the campus, leaving 14-15 injured."
Additional police have been deployed to bring the situation under control, he added.
According to police and eyewitnesses, Prof Iqbal arrived on campus around 10 am to formally assume office. Before his arrival, a section of students backed by Shibir gathered under the banner of the "red card" programme to demonstrate against the appointment.
They declared him "persona non grata" on the campus and locked the main gate.
At the same time, another group of students, under the banner of Chhatra Dal gathered outside the campus in support of the new VC.
Tension escalated when they attempted to enter through the locked gate. Clashes broke out after brick-batting started between protesters inside the gate and students outside, turning the campus area into a battleground for nearly two hours.
OC Aminul said police later fired tear shells to disperse protesters and restore order.
Students opposing the appointment said Duet's academic and administrative realities could only be properly understood by a vice-chancellor from within the university.
Meanwhile, supporters of the new VC alleged that activists linked to Shibir and supporters of the outgoing administration orchestrated the violence to block Prof Iqbal from joining.
Despite the protests and clashes, Prof Mohammad Iqbal formally took charge as Duet's vice-chancellor later in the afternoon.
On 14 May, the government announced the appointment of Prof Iqbal from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology as Duet's new vice-chancellor as part of a reshuffle involving 12 public universities.
'Outgoing Duet administration, Shibir trying to destabilise campus'
In a statement today, Chhatra Dal accused the outgoing Duet administration and Shibir of attempting to destabilise the university for political purposes.
The student organisation claimed that a section of students "under the guise of general students" and linked to Shibir rejected the appointment and demanded that the vice-chancellor be selected from within the university.
"Immediately after the appointment, Shibir-linked activists, posing as general students, started protests and road blockades demanding cancellation of the decision," the statement said.
It added that appointing vice-chancellors from outside universities is a common practice, and the opposition to Prof Iqbal's appointment was being "intentionally used to destabilise the campus".
Chhatra Dal further alleged that the outgoing Duet administration had a history of mismanagement, partisan activities, and irregular recruitment practices. "Over the past four days, the campus had been kept "effectively paralysed" through forced protests."
The organisation also claimed that "Shibir activists in the name of general students" were involved in creating a violent situation on campus.
Chhatra Dal condemned the violence and called for those responsible to be identified.
They urged the university administration and law enforcement agencies to restore a peaceful academic environment and ensure accountability for those involved in the incident.
