Two students was shot dead in the clash between police and students protesting with the demand of quota reform in Narsingdi on Thursday. They were identified as Tahmid Tamim, 15 and Md Emon Mia, 22.
Deceased Tahmid Tamim was a student ninth grader at Nasima Kadir Molla High School and Homes in Narsingdi. And, Md Emon Mia from Kararchar area in Putiya Unuion of Shibpur upazila was a student of Government Shahid Asad College in Shibpur.
Confirming the news of Tahmid Tamim’s death, superintendent of 100-bed Narsingdi District Hospital ANM Mizanur Rahman said that Tahmid had been brought dead to the hospital around 4:30 pm in the afternoon.
Confirming the news of Emon Mia’s death, resident medical officer (RMO) of Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, Mahmudul Kabir Basar said the relatives of the deceased took the body away from the hospital after he was declared dead.
The students protesting with the demand of quota reform started gathering at Jailkhana intersection in Bhelanagar area of the city from 3:15 pm on Thursday. Students of different age group joined them in clusters from different areas. The Jailkhana intersection area was buzzing with slogans from students. They set several tyres on fire at the time.
Protesting students and the police started clashing in the area adjacent to the stadium from 4:00 pm. The police members at the time started firing rubber bullets and tear gas shells aiming at them. The students also kept flinging brickbats at the police members.
More than 150 students were wounded from police’s bullets at the time. The injured students were taken to 100-bed Narsingdi district hospital and Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. The on-duty physicians in those two hospitals declared those two students dead.
Speaking regarding this, civil surgeon in Narsingdi Farhana Ahmed said two students with bullet wounds were brought dead at two government hospitals. Both of them had pellet wounds on their chests. Their relatives have taken the bodies away.
Including all, more than 150 students with bullet wounds have been given treatment in the two hospitals. At least ten of them were sent to Dhaka for better treatment. More patients are arriving and the physicians are struggling to provide treatment.
Additional superintendent of police (crime) in Narsingdi Anirban Chowdhury said that the law and order enforcement forces members are working to bring the situation under control. The rubber bullets and the tear gas shells have been fired to deal with the agitated students. But they do not have any information about anyone’s death.