Dhaka, 05 August (H.S.):

Educational institutions that symbolised Bangladesh’s democratic awakening during the July uprising under the government of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have, two years later, turned into battlegrounds. Within the past two days, violent clashes between activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir spread from Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur to Jagannath University, Dhaka College and Government Madrasa-e-Alia in the capital, Dhaka. The violence prompted university authorities to launch investigations and deploy additional police personnel. The clashes come amid escalating tensions between rival student organisations over ideology, campus influence and organisational dominance.

According to a report by the Dhaka Tribune, the first major clash erupted on Monday evening at Begum Rokeya University during an exhibition organised to mark July Uprising Day. University authorities said the violence began after activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal objected to a banner titled Judicial Killing, which displayed photographs of six leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) who had been convicted of crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War. The dispute quickly escalated into large-scale violence, with clashes involving sticks and rods continuing on the campus for more than five hours.

Eyewitnesses said activists from both student organisations were armed with sharp weapons, hockey sticks, iron rods, bamboo poles and helmets. Traffic outside the university campus came to a standstill during the violence. Both organisations blamed each other for provoking the clashes. The university administration later constituted a five-member committee to investigate the incident.

The unrest spread to Dhaka by Tuesday morning. Rival student groups clashed during the screening of a documentary at Jagannath University in the capital. Chairman of the University Grants Commission, Prof. Dr Mamun Ahmed, was also present at the event.

Eyewitnesses said tensions began when members of the Jagannath University Central Students' Union and Jatiya Chhatra Shakti attempted to enter the auditorium carrying placards demanding the immediate implementation of several campus-related demands.

The situation deteriorated after activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal intervened, eventually triggering large-scale violence. The clashes later extended to the National Medical College Hospital, where injured students had been taken for treatment. Doctors said that more than 70 injured people had received medical care by Tuesday evening.

Leaders and activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jatiya Chhatra Shakti and the university's Central Students' Union, along with several journalists, were injured in the violence.

Dhaka College also witnessed violent confrontations. Eyewitnesses reported clashes, stone-pelting and the open display of sticks and iron rods. Around 20 people were injured in the incident.

By the afternoon, violence had spread to Government Madrasa-e-Alia in Bakshi Bazar, where several people, including the principal, sustained injuries.

A heavy police presence has since been deployed at educational institutions across the capital. On Tuesday night, the administrations of Begum Rokeya University and Jagannath University announced separate inquiry committees to investigate the incidents.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar