Chhatra Dal-Shibir clash at Jagannath University, 15 injured

At least 15 people were injured in a clash between activists of the Jatioatabadi Chhatra Dal and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir at Jagannath University. After the injured were taken to the National Medical College Hospital, another round of chasing and counter-chasing, along with brick-throwing, broke out between the two groups there as well. Additional police have been deployed in and around the hospital to bring the situation under control.

The clash began during a programme organised around the University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman at the university on Tuesday, August 4.

Eyewitnesses said tensions first flared between activists of the two student organisations over presenting various demands to the UGC Chairman. The situation later escalated into a clash. After the clash, JCD activists took position on campus, while the injured Shibir activists were taken to the hospital.

Around 2:00pm, when activists from various Shibir units gathered at the National Medical College Hospital, JCD activists took position outside the hospital. At one point, chasing and counter-chasing resumed between the two sides. Both groups threw bricks, and some were seen carrying local weapons.

In the clash, at least 15 people, including the university Shibir president Abdul Alim Arif and JCD convenor committee member Yasin Saif, were injured. They are undergoing treatment at National Medical College Hospital.

Sutrapur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Matiur Rahman said after the clash on campus, the injured were taken to the hospital, where another round of chasing and counter-chasing took place. Police quickly brought the situation under control.

Assistant Police Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh Division Kotwali Zone Fazlul Haque said tensions arose over presenting demands during a programme attended by the UGC Chairman, the Vice-Chancellor and the Proctor. Later, brick-throwing occurred between the two sides. Although the situation is now under control, tensions persist between the groups.

Both JCD and Shibir have blamed each other for the incident. JCD Member Secretary Shamsul Arefin alleged that the opposing side deliberately created chaos to disrupt efforts to press for student demands.

On the other hand, Shibir President Abdul Alim Arif claimed that JCD activists attacked them while they were trying to present demands regarding the housing crisis and handing over the second campus work to the army.

Meanwhile, panic spread among patients and their attendants as the clash spilled into the hospital. Additional police have been deployed on the hospital premises to maintain normalcy.