Staff Reporter:
At least six people were killed, and several hundred injured in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Rangpur on Tuesday as police and Chhatra League members clashed with quota reform activists for the second consecutive day.
Three of the deceased were identified as Abu Sayeed (22), an English Department student at Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur (BRUR); Wasim Akram, a Social Science student at Chittagong College; and Faruq, a pedestrian. The identities of the other three victims could not be confirmed at the time of reporting.
Abu Sayeed faced police during a confrontation in the Lalbagh area of Rangpur around 2 PM, as officers fired rubber bullets. He was later taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital under police guard, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Bullet wounds were found on his body, according to hospital sources.
In response to the violence, the government deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and additional police personnel in Rangpur and other districts. BGB members were also stationed in front of Dhaka College’s main gate, and riot police were seen on Mirpur Road.
In a separate incident, two buses of Trans Silva Paribahan were set on fire near the National Press Club around 8:25 PM, following the explosion of several cocktails. No casualties were reported from this incident.
Eyewitnesses reported that the buses were torched near the metro rail station, and no one was inside the buses at the time. Police arrived at the scene shortly after the fire started.
Following the day’s clashes, the quota reform protesters announced that they would refrain from holding any programs on Wednesday in observance of Holy Ashura. Nahid Islam, a coordinator of the movement, stated that future actions would be determined after consulting with other coordinators. He urged Dhaka University students to stay vigilant in their dormitories and resist the Chhatra League.
On Monday, around 300 people were injured in attacks by the Chhatra League at Dhaka University, with another 60 students and teachers injured at Jahangirnagar University, causing widespread shock across the nation. Students under the “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement” banner declared they would not tolerate such brutality and vowed to confront the Chhatra League with proper preparations the next day.
In response to calls from movement coordinators, students from various public and private universities and colleges took to the streets on Tuesday morning, clashing with police when asked to clear the roads. In some areas of Dhaka, Chhatra League and Jubo League members attacked the protesters.
The BNP, Transparency International Bangladesh, and the Editors’ Council condemned the attacks, calling for restraint and demanding a proper investigation and punishment for the perpetrators. Saad Hammadi, Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Balsillie School of International Affairs, expressed concern over the deaths and violence, stressing the need for transparency and accountability in government job recruitment.
Protesters gathered at the Central Shaheed Minar at 4 PM as part of a pre-scheduled program responding to recent Chhatra League assaults. They marched towards the VC Chattar of Dhaka University (DU), maintaining their position at the Shaheed Minar area until 8 PM. Meanwhile, Chhatra League members armed with sticks, iron rods, and helmets took positions at the Raju Sculpture and TSC area from 2 PM.
In Dhaka, two people died from injuries sustained during the protest rally at the Science Lab intersection. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. Inspector Md Bachchu Mia of the DMCH hospital police outpost confirmed the deaths.
Reports also indicate that five Dhaka University teachers, all members of the Proctorial Body, were injured in an alleged attack by protesters around 4 PM in front of the university’s Medical Center. The injured include Professor Dr. Mostafizur Rahman, Assistant Proctor Prof. Abdul Muhith, Associate Professor Dr. Farzana Ahmed Shanta, Associate Professor Dr. Hasan Faruq, and Assistant Professor Imamul Haq Sarkar Titu. Proctor Professor Maksudur Rahman stated that the protesters attacked them while they were dispersing outsiders from the Shaheed Minar area.
