Police fire tear gas inside girls' school, leaving 40 sick in Narayanganj

At least 40 students of a girls' school in Narayanganj fell sick as several tear gas shells fired by police, aiming at BNP leaders and activists, were landed inside the campus.

The incident took place around 10:45am on Thursday at Morgan Girls' School and College. Of the students, 12 were admitted to Narayanganj General Hospital as they were struggling to breathe.

The school authorities and the guardians vented their anger over the incident.

According to the eyewitnesses, a chase and counter chase between BNP men and police began at DIT commercial area around 10:30am.

When police chased the protesters around 10:45am, they entered into a road in front of Morgan Girls’ School and College. At that time, police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. But three to four shells landed inside the school that left 40 students sick, they added.

A guardian, Humayun Kabir, told Prothom Alo that examination was underway at the school. Firing tear shells in such a way were not fair because many students like his daughter have fallen sick.

The school’s lecturer Kabir Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that 40 students of the school were injured critically as some tear shells fired by police landed inside the school. Among them, 12 were admitted to Narayanganj general hospital as they were struggling to breathe.

He said police should have been more cautious before firing tear gas shells. The matter was informed to the police high-ups.

Narayanganj district additional police superintendent Amir Khasru told Prothom Alo that since the leaders and activists of BNP were hurling chips from the roofs of the different buildings, police fired tear gas shells aiming at them. At that time, tear shells might be landed inside the school.

The school authorities informed the matter to them, he added.