Dhaka University (DU), a hub of political activity in Bangladesh, suspended all classes and examinations on Monday following clashes between its students and those of Dhaka College and six other colleges on Sunday night. Several students were injured during the clashes, and police used batons to disperse them.
Four platoons of the Border Guard of Bangladesh (BGB), supported by police, were deployed as students from both sides engaged in sporadic clashes involving chases and counter-chases for several hours, BGB PRO Shariful Islam confirmed.
Due to unavoidable circumstances, the authorities decided to suspend all examinations and classes scheduled for Monday, DU PRO Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said.
At around 10 p.m., students from Dhaka College attempted to enter the DU campus with a protest march, intending to surround the office of DU Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Mamun Ahmed. When news of this spread, students from several DU dormitories came out to resist them, reports United News of Bangladesh (UNB).
The clashes continued for hours, with students throwing bricks and stones at each other in the Nilkhet and New Market areas of Dhaka. To control the situation, police used 12 rounds of sound grenades and stood between the two sides with water cannons and tear gas, according to UNB.
The conflict originated on Sunday afternoon when students from the seven colleges approached Prof. Mamun Ahmed with a five-point demand. Their demands included abolishing the quota system in admission tests, limiting admissions to classroom capacity, and considering the teacher-student ratio during admissions. Dissatisfied with his response, the students’ discontent escalated, culminating in late-night clashes.
By – Navalsang Parmar (Dhaka)