Clash between students of two JU halls over shop ownership, 9 injured

A clash erupted between students of Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall and National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall at Jahangirnagar University (JU) over the ownership of shops. At least nine students from the two halls were injured. The incident occurred at the university's Rabindranath Tagore Chattar around noon on Monday.

University sources said Biswakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall was inaugurated in 2017. Afterwards, leaders and activists of the then Chhatra League, in collusion with the hall administration, allotted at least 15 shops in the area. Allegations were raised at the time that they had taken Tk 1 lakh to Tk 2 lakh for each shop allotment.

In 2024, National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall was inaugurated in the area. Several shops previously allotted under the ownership of Rabindranath Tagore Hall stand in front of this hall. Students of Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall claim ownership of four of these shops.

Tension had been simmering between the students of the two halls over the issue for several days. On Monday, they clashed.

Several eyewitnesses said students of Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall planned on Sunday night to lock four shops in front of their hall. Based on this information, several students of Rabindranath Tagore Hall took position at Rabindra Chattar around noon on Monday. When a group of students from Kazi Nazrul Islam Hall arrived there, an altercation ensued, and at one stage, students of the two halls clashed.

JU Proctor Professor Zakir Hossain said the injured students were sent to the medical centre by ambulance. Efforts were underway to calm the situation, and discussions would be held with students of both halls afterwards.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the university's health centre Rizwanur Rahman said around 4:45pm that nine injured students had come for treatment so far. Two of them were sent to another hospital in Savar as their condition was serious. The rest were undergoing treatment at the university's health centre.