At least 20 people, including 16 students, were injured in a clash between the students of Dhaka University and businessmen of Nilkhet over a trifling matter on Saturday.
The injured were sent to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) and Dhaka University (DU) Medical Center for treatment. No one was detained in this connection. Several shops in Nilkhet were torched and scores of vehicles also vandalized during the one-hour long clash.
Police had fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the warring groups.
Witnesses said a group of Dhaka University (DU) students went to Nilkhet to buy some books. The shopkeeper of a bookstall asked them to give Tk 400 for a book which was generally being sold at Tk 200. The students requested him to take Tk 200, but the shopkeeper misbehaved with them. They involved in a quarrel. At one stage many shopkeepers gathered there and started to beat the students.
Hearing the news, several hundred of students went to Nilkhet and torched many shops and vandalized a lot of vehicles in the area. At 6:00 pm, the businessmen were united and attacked the students. Chase and counter-chase were held between the two groups. The Nilkhet area virtually turned into a battleground. Later, the police of New Market Police Station went there and brought the situation under control.
The injured students were identified as Sabbir Ahmed, Abu Sayem, Ashraful, Shohan, Shimul, Shahadat, Halim and Noor. The rest of the students’ name could not be known immediately. Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar said that it was still unclear what actually triggered the skirmish.
“We have, however, taken control of the situation,” he said.
Yeasir Arafat Khan, Officer-in-Charge of New Market Police Station told The New Nation that they are investigating the matter. They have no specific number of injuries. Even no case was also filed, he said.
DU Acting Proctor Professor AM Amzad told The New Nation that the businessmen attacked the students for no reason. “We are looking into the matter and will take action against the culprits,” he said.
