Ctg clash over Azharul’s Acquittal: Case filed, 2 arrested

Police have filed a case against 22 individuals, including two named suspects, in connection with yesterday's clash between two student groups in Chattogram's Jamal Khan area following the acquittal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam in a crimes against humanity case.

Kotwali Police Sub-Inspector Nowsher Qureshi filed the case last night, naming Obaidur Rahman, Md Selim, and 15 to 20 unnamed others.

Police have already arrested the two named accused.

"Police have arrested two and filed a case related to the Jamal Khan clash," confirmed Abdul Karim, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station.

At least 15 activists of the Ganatantrik Chhatra Jote — a coalition of seven left-leaning student organisations — were injured during the incident, which took place near the Chattogram Press Club around 3:30pm yesterday.

The group had gathered to protest both the recent acquittal of Jamaat leader Azharul and a reported attack on students at Rajshahi University.

Ripa Majumder, president of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front's Chattogram city unit, said, "As we were putting up our banner, several hundred people — mostly Islami Chhatra Shibir activists and some from a faction of Students Against Discrimination — attacked us with sticks and brickbats."

"The police stood by silently," she alleged.

However, the case statement does not mention the political identities of the attackers or the motive behind the incident, stating that 15 to 20 individuals, led by the named accused, gathered with machetes and iron rods, halted traffic, creating panic, and assaulted several people.