Anti-Modi protestors attacked in DU, 14 including journos injured
At least 14 people were injured after activists of left student organisations, who were demonstrating against the upcoming visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, came under attack allegedly from Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) men at Dhaka University campus.
Prothom Alo’s Dhaka University correspondent Asif Hawlader was among the injured.
Left student organisations under the banner of ‘Progressive Student Alliance’ were demonstrating at the VC Chattar area of the campus protesting against Narendra Modi’s visit.
The left organisations alleged the ruling party student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists carried out the attack on the demonstrators at around 8:00pm.
DU unit Chhatra Union president Sakhawat Fahad told Prothom Alo that they brought out a torch procession against Narendra Modi’s visit. BCL men swooped on the protesters and beat them up indiscriminately at the VC Chattar area.
Prothom Alo’s DU correspondent Asif Hawlader and some other journalists were injured at the attack.
14 of the injured are undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).Two of the injured were BCL men while others are journalists and left student organisations’ activists.
Witnesses said several hundreds of BCL men with local weapons were seen at the Teachers Students Centre (TSC) as of 9:00pm.
No reaction from the BCL was available on the attack.
Earlier in the day, Jubo Odhikar Parishad activists clashed with police in the city’s Motijheel area while protesting against the Indian prime minister’s visit.
The Parishad, youth front of former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Nurul Haque Nur’s organisation, blocked the roads in the Motijheel area at around 12:00 in the afternoon.
The clashes ensued when the law enforcers obstructed the demonstrators.
Narendra Modi is due in Dhaka on Friday to attend the joint celebrations of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.