Protesters confront AL activists in Cumilla

The preannounced demonstrations and mass procession have started in front of the Cumilla Zilla School. The students have been demonstrating there since the morning. At the same time, the Awami League (AL) and Jubo League leaders and activists have taken positions in front of the stadium. As a result, a tense situation is prevailing in the area with the two sides confronting each other.

Locals and protesters said the students started thronging in front of the Zilla School premises from 10:00 am Saturday. At one point, the agitators broke down the lock of the main gate and entered.

Later, the students attempted to march towards the Kandirpara area of the city, but couldn’t as the pro-government activists gathered in front of the New Market area. So the students returned and started a protest rally on the road in front of Zilla School.

The protesters were chanting different slogans demanding justice for those who have been killed in recent clashes centering the quota reform movement.

The students have warned that if they are obstructed from holding demonstrations, then the outcome won’t be good. Meanwhile, traffic movement on the Kandirpar Eidgah road was interrupted due to the confrontation between students and AL leaders and supporters.

Later, the protesters started appearing in front of the Pubali Chattar in the city around 11:15 pm to join the mass procession. However, the Chhatra League and Jubo League activists chased and dispersed them.

The students were still demonstrating in front of Zilla School at the time of writing this report at 12:00 pm today. The police troops were deployed in front of the bungalow of Cumilla superintendent police (SP) at the time. They arrested a protester on suspicion of being an Islami Chhatra Shibir activist.