RU students clash with locals, at least 200 injured

At least 200 students of Rajshahi University have been injured in a clash with the locals at Binodpur gate area. The clash ensued at around 7:00 in the evening on Saturday and has been going on as of 8:30pm.

Severely injured students are being sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and the less severely injured students are being treated at the university medical center.

Pro-vice chancellor of the RU Sultan Ul Islam told Prothom Alo, “At least 200 students were injured. The ambulance is not adequate and we are sending the students to RMC (Rajshahi Medical College Hospital) by buses.”

Identities of five injured students were available immediately. They are: Imam Ul Hussain, a student of sociology; Raihan, president of university unit Chhatra Federation; Mir Kadim and Aupi Karim, students of mass communication and journalism and Arif, a student of philosophy department.

The names of the other injured students could not be known immediately.

Witnesses, locals and university students said a student named Al Amin Akash was returning to the campus from Bogura on a bus of ‘Mohammad Paribahan'. He locked into an altercation with bus driver Shariful and his assistant Ripan over sitting on the bus. The assistant and the student restarted their argument when the bus reached at Binodpur gate of the campus. At one point, a local shopkeeper joined the altercation with the RU student. By this other students of sociology department rushed to the scene and the clash broke out between local shopkeepers and the students. The locals later attacked the students and a chase and counter chase followed.

RU journalist association’s president Taufiq Quaiyum said students and locals locked into clash over an altercation on a bus.

A member of the association named Mir Kadim was injured while on duty, he added.

Proctor Asabul Haque said, “We are trying to quell the situation. Law enforcers are also working here.”

It was seen that the two groups are facing off in the Binodpur area.  The students took position inside the gate of the campus and the locals in Binodpur Bazar. No vehicles are running on Rajshahi-Dhaka highway through Binodpur area due to the clash. A large contingent of police has been deployed in Binodpur Bazar.

City mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton rushed to the spot at after 8:00pm. The clash continued though he requested both sides to calm down.

Several shops of Binodpur Bazar have been set afire while the motorbike of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s RU unit president Golam Kibria has been vandalised.