27 vehicles damaged as transport workers clash with JU students

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Students of Jahangirnagar University blockaded Dhaka-Aricha Highway near the university for an hour and a half after transport workers vandalised three university buses and assaulted students at Gabtoli Bus Terminal yesterday.

The students damaged around 25 vehicles and torched two others on the highway protesting against the attack on fellow students and the vandalising of university buses.

Twelve students including several female students were wounded in the transport workers’ attack.

Witnesses said transport workers vandalised a Jahangirnagar University bus after the bus and a light truck had a minor collision and the driver of the bus was involved in an altercation with the driver of the light truck on Mazar Road around 2:30pm.

When the students tried to resist the transport workers, the workers attacked the students and vandalised two other university buses.

The buses, however, managed to reach their destination after Mirpur police rushed to the spot and calmed the workers. The students tried to stage demonstrations by blocking the road at Gabtoli but police charged truncheons to disperse them, students claimed.

Hearing about the assault on fellow students and a rumour that students were kept confined at Gabtoli, students at Jahangirnagar University barricaded the highway around 3:00pm and damaged the 27 vehicles. During their blockade, tailbacks were seen on the highway and nearby roads.

Around 3:30pm university proctor and other officials went to the highway and tried to calm the students down. Later, Savar and Ashulia police reached the spot to bring the situation under control.

The students removed their blockade around 4:30pm after university authorities and police assured them that no student was kept confined at Gabtoli.

The university administration had a meeting with top police and intelligence officials later on and decided to take measures so that such incidents do not occur in future.

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