Dhaka College students called in after conflict between two fast food workers

On Monday evening, a fracas broke out between the workers of two fast food shops in the New Market over setting up tables to attract customers during Iftar.

At one stage, one Kawsar, a worker of Capital Fast Food, beat up nearby Welcome Fast Food’s worker Bappi.

In return, Bappi called in some Dhaka College students of his acquaintance and carried out an attack on Kawsar to retaliate, but they were beaten out by Kawsar and his associates.

Taking a cue from the incident, the students approached the market and a fight broke out there between the two sides at night.

Aminul Islam, the president of the New Market Traders Association, told Prothom Alo that when a scuffle took place between two shopkeepers inside the New Market, one roped in Dhaka College students to settle the issue.

At one stage, the students left the spot after sporadic clashes between the two sides inside the market. They later spread rumors that the traders had beaten them up inside the market, prompting the fellow students to approach the market for retaliation, he said.

The aggrieved students carried out an attack on traders and attempted to set fire there, added Aminul.

Talking to Prothom Alo, Welcome Fast Food owner Md Rafique said they were supposed to settle the issue in a sitting, but Bappi in the meantime sought help from the Dhaka College students.

The students appeared in the scene to settle the issue, but Kawsar and his associates attacked the students and chased them out of the market.

Later, the students got organized, returned to the market and conducted a counter-attack.

However, the students came up with a different statement. Fuwad Hossain, who identified himself as a leader of Chhatra League’s Dhaka College unit, said an altercation took place between a student and traders at the market on the day. The traders at one stage stabbed the student, which led to the clash.

The clash broke out there around 12:00am on Monday and continued until 2:30am. Later, it resumed in the morning at 10:00am and continued until the police came to the scene and took the situation under control at noon.

At least 41 people were injured in the clash. Of them, a pedestrian succumbed to his injuries at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday night.