Police force, students clash all over Bangladesh

 
Students and teachers staged demonstrations across the country on Wednesday, protesting the recent incidents of killings, mass arrests, attacks, cases, and forceful disappearances centering the quota reform movement.

The demonstrations were staged as the Students Against Discrimination, which led the quota reform protests, called a 'March for Justice' program throughout the country on the day, to press home their demand for justice to the deceased and ending harassment of the protesters.

Students, alongside teachers and guardians, from various universities, schools and colleges joined the march and demonstration programs in Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet.

In most of the programs, the police set barriers, charged batons, fired tear gas shells and sound grenades while dispersing the protesters. A significant number of students were also arrested in various places. Teachers and students gathered in the Majar Gate area near the High Court in Dhaka at noon. The police detained a number of people from the spot around 12:30 pm. Despite the arrests, the protesters stayed in the area for nearly three hours and demonstrated against the injustices. Professor Lutfor Rahman, white panel convener of Dhaka University, took part in the program, along with some other teachers of the university. Meanwhile, a group of lawyers held a procession inside the High Court premises.

A section of protesting students attempted to approach the High Court premises around 1:00 pm, but faced barriers from the police. At one stage, they took positions in the Doyel Chattar area and ended their demonstrations with a rally at the Shaheed Minar.

They left the area around 3:00 pm.

Teachers and students of Jahangirnagar University participated in the protest. The protesting students thronged to the Mahua Mancha on the campus around 1:00pm, to hold demonstrations and collect signatures from all participants.

They brought out a procession from the spot and marched through different roads inside the campus before returning to the beginning point for a rally. Some 10-15 teachers from various departments joined the protest.

The police fired tear gas shells and sound grenades when the protesting students brought out a procession in the Subid Bazar area in Sylhet city around 1:00 pm.

Faisal Hossain, a coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, said at least 20 people, including students, sustained injuries during the police action on their procession.

According to witnesses, the students gathered near Shahjalal University's main entrance around 11:00 am, to hold their 'March for Justice' program. As the police did not allow them on the Sylhet-Sunamganj highway before the entrance, the protesting students took position below the nearby foot over bridge and started chanting slogans.

They brought out a procession towards Sylhet city around 12:00 pm. When they reached the Subid Bazar area around 12:30 pm, the police blocked their way, and it led to scuffles between two sides.

At one stage, the students pushed aside the police barriers and continued their march towards the court point area of the city. The police took position beside the road and fired tear gas shells and sound grenades, while the students replied by throwing brick chips. The police, however, managed to disperse the protesters.