Dhaka University students leave campus after clash with police
A clash has erupted between the police and the quota reform protesters on the Dhaka University campus on Wednesday afternoon.
The clash broke out during a coffin procession of protesters around 4:30 pm, following an absentee funeral prayers at the VC Chattar. The police desperately fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the procession, and it led to the clash.
The policemen took positions at the VC Chattar area and were firing tear gas shells and sound grenades.
The dispersed protesters later gathered in the Masterda Surja Sen Hall area and launched a counterattack with brick chips. At one stage, the police approached to the Surja Sen Hall premises and the protesting students took refuge in the nearby halls around 5:30pm.
Later, Saiful Alam Chowdhury, a journalism department professor, came to the scene and talked to the policemen. They paused their attacks for a while, facilitating a safe exit for the protesters from halls.
After leaving the halls, the protesting students took position at Nilkhet intersection, and the police resumed to fire tear gas shells at them.
Defending their action, Sudip Kumar Chakrabarty, joint commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), told Prothom Alo that they foiled the procession with permission from the vice chancellor to ensure the security of the VC residence and its adjacent areas.
On the other hand, Hasnat Abdullah, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, alleged that the police carried out an attack on their peaceful procession.
The Dhaka University authorities announced an indefinite closure and ordered the students to leave the residential halls within 6:00pm on Wednesday.
The quota reform protesters rejected the Dhaka University authorities’ decision and declined to leave the residential halls.
Sarjis Alam, a key coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said they would not accept the decision to vacate the halls as the country is not facing any disaster like situation that may lead to such a decision.