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Download PDF Clashes between students of two private universities in Uttara left 25 students and policemen injured yesterday.
Students of Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology in Sector-3 vandalised the building of Asian University of Bangladesh in Sector-7 and torched its furniture and equipments. Students of Asian University ransacked the building of Shanto-Mariam University and torched its furniture and equipments in return.
Police had to fire six teargas canisters and charge truncheon in their attempt to disperse the clashing students.
Both universities were declared closed for five days to avert further untoward incidents.
According to sources, the clashes started following the spread of a rumour that Mehedi Hasan Rana, a student of fashion designing department of Shanto-Mariam University who had been beaten up by the students of Asian University on May 20, died.
Sources said Rana was beaten up when he went to the Asian University campus to protest against the assault on his sister Rumana, a first semester student at Asian University.
According to witnesses, several hundred students of Shanto-Mariam University marched towards the Asian University campus around 11:30am yesterday and vandalised the building and torched furniture in rooms on two floors.
They also ransacked the residence of Asian University vice-chancellor, several neighbouring buildings and business establishments in the area.
Several hundred policemen stepped in to control the situation when students of Asian University retaliated the attack.
The students of Shanto-Mariam University attacked the police, who lobbed teargas shells and charged truncheons.
Meanwhile, two groups of students of Asian University marched towards the Shanto-Mariam University campuses in Sector-13 and Sector-3. They vandalised the university campus in Sector-3 and set fire to the Design Centre of the university.
Students of Shanto-Mariam University told The Daily Star that Rana’s sister Rumana was assaulted by Asian University student Samrat on May 20 and hearing about the incident Rana along with two friends went to Asian University.
They said when Rana went there Samrat along with Setu, Tareq, Aslam, Newton, Nuru, Shakil and Tawak beat him up. Rana was admitted to Central Hospital in Dhanmondi in a critical condition.
Talking to The Daily Star, Registrar of Asian University Capt (retd) Abdus Samad confirmed the Asian University students’ assault on Rumana and her brother Rana on May 20.
He said, “We tried to resolve the issue through the authorities concerned of both universities. But, the students engaged themselves in clashes before a solution could be achieved.”
He claimed that a case was filed accusing 400-500 students and security personnel of Shanto-Mariam University in connection with damaging and setting fire to valuables worth over Tk 1.5 crore.
A teacher of Shanto-Mariam University said a general diary was filed following the assaults on Rumana and her brother.
He claimed that Asian University students caused a loss of about Tk 2 crore to the Design Centre of his university.
Manjurul Zaman, assistant commissioner of Uttara Zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star that the clashes took place over the rumour of the death of Rana and they resorted to truncheons and firing teargas shells to disperse the agitating students. He said none was so far arrested in this connection.
May 26th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
ALAS AlAS PITY & PITY Bangladesh will remain ever crippled unless a strong Military Government take over & control the country under Marshal Law.
Corruption occurs day to Day.Is that what we wanted? Mother is totured for money, Drug addiction drowned in Sins.
What we can write & What we can bear?