Dozens of people including students were injured after protesters clashed with law enforcers and ruling party men in front of Zamzam Tower in the capital’s Uttara today.
The clash took place near the milestone school and college in Sector 11 when protesters were heading towards the Zamzam Tower intersection with a mass rally around 4:15pm.
Witnesses said there was extra police security in the entire Uttara area over the mass procession called by the anti-discrimination student movement. Police and ruling party supporters took position in front of Zamzam Tower ahead of the program, they said.
On the other hand, the students took position in front of Milestone College.
Witnesses said the clashes started when the ruling party men tried to chase away the students. A chase and counter chase ensued between them. Police then fired sound grenades and tear gas shells to disperse the gathering.
After the clashes, police took position in front of the Zamzan Tower. Around 5:00pm, when students tried to take the main street again, police dispersed them by firing tear gas, according to sources.
Talking with The Daily Star, Dulal Howlader, a local businessman, said that he was hit by a brick on his head during the chase and counter chase. He took treatment from Crescent Hospital.
Another witness said a student named Tahmid Huzaifa had taken treatment from a hospital in Uttara after being hit by rubber bullets.
A nurse of Uttara Adhunik Hospital, requesting anonymity, said that they had provided treatment to two rubber bullet-injured students.
Describing the incidents, another witness requesting anonymity, said the Milestone College students were protesting at Uttara Sector 11.
“Suddenly, some people wearing helmets and armed with weapons and sticks attacked the protesting students. They even chased the students who ran into different roads of Sector 11 to take shelter. Police also lobbed sound grenades at students,” said the witness requesting anonymity.
“I saw at least three wounded people… One of them was lying in a pool of blood,” said the witness.
According to a local, police could bring the situation under control after 5:30pm.
Tohidul Islam, additional deputy commissioner of the Uttara police, said that the protestors set fire to a special branch training school in Uttara. “We were successfully able to bring the situation under normalcy around 5:30pm, by firing tear gas shells and sound grenades,” he added.
A tense situation has been prevailing in the area following the clash.
Source: The Dail Star
