Students in Bangladesh rise in protest against the presence of army troops at the Dhaka University campus and army camps being set up within the university grounds in Bangladesh.
According to witnesses, furious students set fire to an army van and smashed at least 50 cars during a latest surge of aggression with the security forces at the Dhaka University of Bangladesh. Hostilities flared up further as hundreds of students came back to the campus and hurled sticks and stones to challenge the police.
It is apparently the foremost instance of disobedience of the emergency restrictions. The unrest extended across the campus after army troops reportedly attacked some of the students. Hundreds of policemen had to immediately charge in, firing teargas and rubber bullets. No less than 50 students were injured as police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob. Another 100 students were reportedly wounded in a similar conflict overnight.
As stated by the witnesses, the students forced the police to back away from the campus. They reportedly smoldered dummies of the army chief, General Moeen U. Ahmed, and the provisional chief of the law and information ministries, Mainul Husein. Classes and examinations had to be deferred at the Dhaka University due to the aggression. The students have also called for a strike for an uncertain period of time.
The reason for the aggression of the students is clearly the alleged misconduct of the members of the army troop settled on the Dhaka campus. The authorities are seemingly paying attention to this issue now. The army headquarters of Bangladesh said in a statement that the soldier who was accused of initiating the clash has been extracted to face a departmental inquisition. Major-General Sina Ibn Jamali assured the reporters earlier on that the authorities would take necessary action against the menaces. He also stated that they would be eliminated from the campus if essential.
Inspite of the reassurance, the student aggression at the Dhaka University is spreading outside the capital, and affecting students at the Jahangirnagar University and the Sher-e-Bangla University at Mirpur.
Students everywhere are a sensitive lot, full of ideals, vigor and react intimately to issues like these. The students of Bangladesh, especially, are prone to such reactions, as apparent from previous instances of student rebellion, even in the freedom struggle of Bangladesh. The government should be vigilant in dealing with these issues. A hurried decision at this point can lead to a more widespread form of aggression, even one that might disturb the foundation of Bangladesh as a nation.
Via: CNN
Image Credit: CNN
