Scuffle over overtaking Students Against Discrimination bus leads to clashes
A scuffle over allowing a bus from the motorcade of the March for Unity of the Students Against Discrimination led to clashes and chases in Mollahat upazila of Bagerhat on Tuesday.
At least 20 people were also injured in the incidents that took place around 11:30 am in Madrashghat area of the upailza.
It has been learned after talking to police and locals that the students left Khulna city by 25 buses in the morning to join the March for Unity, but one of the buses fell behind. However, a passenger did not allow the bus carrying students to overtake the former from Noapara of Fakirhat to a filling station in the Mollahat area.
Passengers of both buses exchanged heated arguments, and at one stage, several people from the passenger bus and a local bus counter dragged several students from another bus and beat them. They also broke the windows of the Green Line bus, carrying the students. The events eventually unfolded to clashes and chases between the attackers and the students, and that lasted for at least an hour, leaving 20 people injured.
Later, police and army personnel arrived and brought the situation under control. Traffic remained halted on the Khulna-Lawa highway for about two hours.
Mollahat police station officer-in-charge (OC) Shafiqul Islam said traffic movement became normal around 1:00 pm. “Students left for their destinations, as well as additional police and army personnel remain deployed to avoid further clashes.”
Students Against Discrimination, Khulna coordinator Zahurul Tanvir claimed their motorcade was travelling to Dhaka from Khuna peacefully. But the collaborators of the fascists attacked on them midway, leaving many injured, he alleged.
Another coordinator Minhajul Abedin claimed, “The attack was launched in a planned way, but nothing can divert us from our goals. The perpetrators must be brought to book immediately and be punished exemplarily. Otherwise, students would wage movements and find the people involved in it.”