Demonstration, assault, detention at various places

Incidents of obstructions and attacks have taken place during the student demonstrations in the capital as well as elsewhere in the country.

There are allegations that Chhatra League carried out attacks on the processions of the students and police assaulted them up at different places. At the time, some students were detained.

In Chattagram, the demonstrators were dispersed by sound grenades and tear gas. In Cumilla, a student going to join a demonstration received a bullet in his leg. Nobody can say who shot him. Some teachers joined the programmes of students at Jahangirnagar and Rajshahi University.

Some coordinators announced a demonstration protesting the forced announcement of withdrawing the movement by the coordinators in custody and demanding proper investigation into the killings of students during the quota reform movement and justice for the victims.

Members of law enforcers took position at different places in the capital centering the demonstration since morning on Monday. A good number of people were detained while the demonstrators tried to gather at some places.

It had been stated on social media that protests will be organised at eight points in Dhaka today, Monday.  The eight points are- Science Lab, Gate No 8 of North South University, Press Club, BNS Centre in Uttara, Mirpur-10, ECB Chattar in Mirpur, Rampura and Mohakhali.

Prothom Alo correspondent in Gazipur reported from Uttara area that the police have taken position at different intersections there. Some people were sighted in different streets and alleyways. However, nobody was seen protesting on the main road.

The police detained a number of protesters from Mirpur-10, ECB Chattar. The police also used batons to disperse a group of protesters that had gathered at ECB Chattar.

At around 12:30 pm, one of the police personnel on-duty there said that some protesters were hurling brickbats from the alleys. Later, the police dispersed them and detained a few.

Officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirpur police station Munshi Sabbir stated that 10 people have been detained from Mirpur-10 Golchattar area during the protest progamme.

Assistant commissioner of police in New Market zone, Md Refatul Islam stated that 10 people have been detained from in front of Star Kabab restaurant in Dhanmondi area.

Four people including two students of Dhaka University were detained as they tried to start a demonstration at Paltan intersection.

A group of students wanted to hold a rally in front of the National Press Club. But police shut the road from the Paltan intersection to Kadam Foara. Later, the students held a brief rally in front of Dhaka Reporters Unity. They demanded the release of detained students.

The police took position in front of North South University in the morning. witnesses said the police detained at least 12 people including three students in front of the university in the afternoon. It is learnt that there were students of other universities among the detainees.

Teachers and students brought out a protest procession on behalf of the anti-discriminatory student movement, which was followed by holding a rally beneath the Shaheed Minar. Students also blocked the highway in front of the Rajshahi University also brought out a protest procession, pressing their demands including proper investigation and trial of killings of the students. Several teachers also expressed solidarity with the students at the time. Students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) also demonstrated on Monday.

In Chattogram, police dispersed protesters firing sound grenades and tear shells at the Cheragi roundabout around 4:00 pm yesterday. Police also rounded up several people at that time. The anti-discriminatory student movement was scheduled to hold the protest in front of the press club in the city’s Jamal Khan, but members of the police, Border Guard Bangladesh and the army took position in the area in advance. As a result, no students gathered there.

A group of 20-30 students took position at the Cheragi Hill intersection around 3:30 pm and started chanting slogans. At that time, police detained two students and tried to pick them up in a prison van, but protesters resisted.

Chattogram Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner (Kotwali zone) Atanu Chakraborty admitted the detention of the students, but he could not disclose the exact number of the protesters detained.

Protesting students allegedly came under attack at Barishal University around 2:00 pm yesterday, leaving at least 15 students injured. The victims alleged that students, who are involved in the politics of the Chhatra League, launched the attacks with sticks, iron rods and pipes. Nine of the injured were admitted to the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College in Barisal.

Ruling party men including Chhatra League allegedly obstructed the protest procession of the anti-discriminatory student movement and beat the protesting student at Comilla University. Protesters bought out the procession in front of the university’s main entrance and paraded on the roads ending at the Nawab Faizunnissa Chaudhurani Hall and then returned to the main entrance. The procession was followed by a rally.

Meanwhile, Ashraful Islam, a fourth-semester student of Cumilla Polytechnic Institute, sustained bullet injuries in his knee at the end point of the Kotbari Museum Road around 3:30 pm. Ashraful Islam, who is from Maheshpur village of Borura upazila of Cumilla, underwent treatment at the casualty department of Comilla Medical College Hospital.

Regarding the matter, Cumilla superintendent of police Saidur Rahman said he learned about Ashraful Islam being shot, but it is still unclear who fired the shots.

In Mymensingh, protesters were not allowed to hold the preannounced programme of the anti-discriminatory student movement as law enforcement agencies maintained control over the entire city. Leaders and activists of Awami League and its associated bodies also took positions at various points in the city. Police foiled a protest procession of students in the Karbala area of Jashore yesterday afternoon.

Students also observed protest programmes in Thakurgaon, Bogura, Noakhali and Kushtia.

In the meantime, Mahin Sarkar, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, announced new programmes by sending an SMS to the media around 9:00 pm yesterday. It said students are being cruelly ridiculed instead of conducting trials of killings and tortures. He announced the denouncing programme of the state mourning; taking pictures wearing red ribbons on faces and eyes as well as spreading those images online widely. He also mentioned the issue of the nine-point demands of the anti-discrimination student movement in the SMS. The new programme was also announced on social media.

* Prothom Alo’s Staff Correspondents and Correspondents from respective areas contributed reporting.