Clash over cricket match leaves 11 DU students injured

At least 11 students were injured in a clash over a cricket match on Dhaka University campus.

The clash broke out during final match of the inter-department cricket tournament (north zone) between the marketing department and the Institute of Social Welfare and Research (ISWR) on the central playground of the university on Monday afternoon.

According to hospital and department sources, the injured are Delwar Hossain, Zulfiqer Mahmud, Imtiaz Hossain and Araf Mahmud of the marketing department and Nazmus Sakib, Jim Nazmul, Mashiur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Mihajul Islam, Ayan Samaddar and Mamun Reza of the ISWR. Nazmus Sakib was in a critical condition.

Witnesses said the ISWR team batted first and posted 149 all out in 19.3 overs. Chasing a 150-run target, the marketing department scored 72 runs for one in 9.2 overs. At this stage of the match, players from both teams and spectators started sledging each other over the fall of a wicket, and that triggered a clash. Students punched each other; some of them also threw chairs and stones, leaving 11 injured. The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, marketing department chairman ABM Shahidul Islam said, “Our team was winning the match. As the ISWR team could not take it and clashed with our team, leaving several students injured.”

ISWR director said Md Golam Azam said such incident is not warranted and the university administration should take action.

Dhaka University proctor AKM Golam Rabbani visited the injured students at the hospital on Monday evening.