Tensions flared up at Dhaka University late last night as hundreds of students came out of their dormitories to protest what they said was a “disparaging comment” by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina regarding quotas in government jobs.
Students at Jahangirnagar University, Jagannath University, Rajshahi University, Chittagong University, and Comilla University too staged protests.
They gathered on campuses and took out processions around 11:00pm, chanting “Tui ke? Ami ke? Razakar, Razakar! [Who are you? Who am I? Razakar, Razakar!].”
Earlier, in response to a journalist’s question, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “Why do they have so much resentment towards the freedom fighters?” If the grandchildren of the freedom fighters don’t get quota benefits, should the grandchildren of Razakars get the benefit?”
For over two weeks, students of different universities and colleges have been demonstrating for reforms to the quota system in government jobs.
At DU, students marched from the halls and gathered in front of the Raju Bhaskarjo.
Students from Bangladesh-Kuwait Maitree Hall, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Hall, Shamsun Nahar Hall, and Rukayyah Hall were among the protesters.
They chanted “Chaite gelam odhikar, hoye gelam Razakar [Asked for rights and became a Razakar]”.
Nahid Islam, one of the organisers of the quota protests, said they did not call for any gathering and that the students came out of their dorms spontaneously.
Meanwhile, Chhatra League activists, armed with sticks, gathered at several points around the campus, including Madhur Canteen, and Shahbagh and Sheraton intersections.
Some protesters were also seen carrying sticks.
Meanwhile, there was strong police presence in Shahbagh, Chankharpool, and Nilkhet areas as of filing this report at 3:15am today.
A student said activists of Chhatra League tried to stop them from joining the protests at many dorms.
Asif Mahmood, another coordinator of the anti-quota protests, alleged he was attacked in front of Bijoy Ekattor Hall when he was calling students to join in.
The agitating students started returning to their dorms around 1:45am, and most of them had left by 2:30am.
Students of Chittagong University also took to the streets on their campus, during which BCL leaders and activists reportedly attacked them and injured four to five people.
Later, BCL activists were seen gathering in the Zero Point area, chanting pro-ruling party slogans.
At Rajshahi University, several hundred students took out a procession from the campus and blocked the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway a little after midnight.
At Jagannath University, hundreds of protesters were seen chanting slogans inside the campus around 11:40pm yesterday.
