RU students, locals clash; over 220 hurt

Over 220 people were injured after students of Rajshahi University fought running battles with locals and police in Binodpur area near the campus yesterday evening over trifles.

At least 20 students suffered shotgun pellet injuries as police fired teargas and rubber bullets to control the situation.

Witnesses and law enforcers said the students vandalised and set ablaze some 50 shops in the area.

A police outpost was also set on fire and officials could not tell who set it ablaze.

The university authorities suspended all classes and exams for two days.

The clashes were still going on when this report was filed around 1:15am today.

At least seven platoons of BGB were deployed in the area, said Lt Col Shabbir Ahmed of BGB Battalion-1.

According to law enforcers and locals, a student of the university was travelling to Rajshahi from Bogura by bus when he had an argument with the bus driver and his assistant over taking a seat in the bus.

When the bus stopped at the Binodpur gate of the university around 6:00pm, their argument reignited.

At that time, a local shopkeeper intervened, taking the side of the bus driver and helper.

There was pushing and shoving between the shopkeeper and the student. The situation soon escalated as more students and locals engaged in the fight and chased each other.

Several motorcycles were vandalised during the clash.

Prof Sultan-ul-Islam, pro vice-chancellor of the university, told The Daily Star around 10:00pm that 150-200 students were injured in the incident.

They were treated at the university medical centre and Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH).

At least 86 people were admitted to the RMCH, officials said.

Most of the injuries were caused by police charging truncheons and locals and students throwing brick chunks and stones at each other.

Rayhan Islam, RU correspondent of Bangladesh Protidin, Mir Kadir and Jaber Ahmed, RU correspondents of two online portals, were among the injured.

RU Proctor Prof Ashabul Haque said, "We have been trying to control the situation. Law enforcers are also working."

Rajshahi Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton went to the scene and tried to talk to the students and locals, but he had to leave as the students threw chunks of brick at him.

Police also tried to calm the situation by talking to the warring groups, but failed to convince them. Around 10:30pm, police fired teargas shells and fired rubber bullets.

But more students soon gathered and started hurling brick chunks and stones at the law enforcers, forcing the latter to retreat.

The students then torched around 20 shops in the area, said Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Anisur Rahman.

As the law enforcers regrouped and used firearms to chase the students away, around 20 students got shot, RMCH officials said.

The Dhaka-Rajshahi highway remained closed to traffic from 6:00pm.