Students-traders clash at New Market to cool down shortly: Home Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has said the clash between students and traders in Dhaka's New Market area will be under control shortly.

He said this while talking to media at the Secretariat this afternoon.

"Our security forces have been monitoring and taking action with utmost patience. We heard that some people were injured in the clashes," he added.

He also said the New Market area clash and violence started over a minor incident.

The injured journalists, students and traders were taken to hospitals for primary treatment, he said, adding that police are on the spot and the inspector general of police is monitoring the entire situation.

"We think, it will cool down after a while. Those who did this will surely face the law," he added.

DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said students, from a 10-storey building, threw bricks and stones on the road. "We are trying to convince the workers (traders) to return to the market."

He also said, "Not just New Market, workers from all the nearby markets have joined the clash. The situation is not as simple as it seems. Police are trying to deal with the students delicately."

Regarding the massive traffic congestion in Dhaka, Home Minister Asaduzzaman said, "Several development works are going on in Dhaka. It's also one of the reasons for our traffic jam. Everything resumed after a long closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic and now Eid has arrived. So, everyone is going to the markets and everyone has suddenly started moving about."

"Our security forces along with our traffic police are trying their best to ease the traffic jam. They have prepared a method of action for the next seven days." he added.