Long march to Jamuna: Police charge baton, fire tear gas to disperse JnU demonstrators

Police have halted a long march by Jagannath University students and teachers to Jamuna, the official residence of the Chief Adviser. The demonstrators called the long march to press home their three-point demands.

The law enforcement charged batons, fired sound grenades and tear gas, and used water cannons to disperse the procession when it reached near Kakrail Mosque around 12:30 pm today, Wednesday.

Tensions escalated when protesters began pushing against the police.

As the demonstrators attempted to breach the police barricade and proceed to Jamuna, law enforcement began baton-charging the crowd.

Subsequently, police used tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons to disperse the demonstrators. The protesters eventually scattered and moved toward the Matsya Bhaban intersection.

According to students participating in the long march, at least 11 people, including both students and teachers, were injured. They are currently being taken to hospitals for treatment.

The long march began around 11:45 am from the university’s Ekattorer Ganahatya Bhaskorjo Chattar (1971 Genocide Sculpture Square), with demands including the provision of housing allowance and the approval of the proposed full budget.

“July Unity”, a platform comprising political, social, and cultural organisations of the university, convened the programme. It was announced on Tuesday at the university’s Kathaltala.

Earlier that afternoon, a delegation of students and teachers had met with the University Grants Commission (UGC). However, as no satisfactory announcement came from the UGC, students declared the ‘Long March to Jamuna’ in protest.

The Jagannath University Teachers’ Association, JnU unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and leaders of various cultural organisations participated in the long march.

The three-point demands are:

1. A housing allowance must be allocated for 70 per cent of Jagannath University students from the 2025–26 fiscal year until proper housing arrangement is ensured;

2. The proposed full budget for Jagannath University for the FY2025–26 must be approved without any amendment.

3. The construction work of Jagannath University’s second campus must be implemented as a priority project after approving it in the next Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) meeting.