Police in action at Science Lab to quell tension

The police have fired tear gas shells and exploded sound grenades to disperse students of the Dhaka College and the Dhaka City College from the Science Lab area. 

A clash broke out between students of the two neighbouring colleges around 2:45 pm and continued for more than two hours. It created a heavy traffic congestion on the adjacent roads. 

Sporadic clashes were taking place between the two sides during the filing of this report around 5:00 pm, while vehicular movement resumed to a limited extent.

Meanwhile, a large number of cops and army men moved to the Dhaka College area, and they were in confrontation with the students there. 

Shah Mostafa Tariqujjaman, assistant commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s (DMP) New Market Division, told Prothom Alo that the clash had stemmed from a scuffle that had taken place between some students of the two colleges while embarking on a student bus of Dhaka College on the previous day. 

Taking a cue from the scuffle, a group of Dhaka College students went to the City College and carried out vandalism there. In retaliation, the City College students came out and took positions at Science Lab around 2:45 pm. Later, the Dhaka College students approached the spot, and it led to a clash between two sides, he said, adding both groups attacked each other with brick chips. 

According to witnesses, there were casualties during the clash. The tension is yet to calm down completely.  

A severe traffic gridlock created on the adjacent roads. The police went to the spot and are trying to keep the situation under control.