20 hurt as Shibir clash with cops

At least 20 policemen and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists were injured in a violent clash between them in Binodpur area near Rajshahi University (RU) campus yesterday evening.
Sources said Shibir men exploded at least 10 bombs and threw stones and bricks at police during the clash while police fired around 30 tear gas shells and five rounds of rubber bullets to disperse them.
The clash erupted around 6:30pm when RU unit Shibir brought out a procession in front of the university's main gate violating the 22-point action policy made by Rajshahi district administration.
At one stage, some Shibir men threw stones and bricks at police and attacked them with iron rods and bamboo sticks as police requested Shibir activists not to stage any demonstration near the university area.
Police and Shibir activists then chased each other in the area, disrupting traffic movement on Dhaka-Rajshahi highway for an hour.
As the situation was going to deteriorate, additional police personnel rushed to the spot and brought it under control.
Some of the injured were identified as Jahangir Hossain, assistant police commissioner of Motihar zone, and constables Azad, Monir and Rahman and Shibir activists Samad and Barkat.
After the clash, police started raiding different student messes controlled by Shibir in the area. Shibir activist Abdus Samad, a 2nd year student of physics department of RU, was arrested during the raids.
Injured Assistant Police Commissioner Jahangir Hossain told The Daily Star that Shibir had no permission for holding any procession or meeting in the area. Shibir activists used around 20 bombs during the clash, he claimed.
Delwar Hossain Saidee, president of RU Shibir unit, told newsmen that police first attacked them without any reason.
Earlier, Rajshahi district administration formed a 22-point action policy to keep educational institutions in Rajshahi free from student unrest and criminal activities and banned procession, meeting, rally and gathering inside of the university and near the university area.