Situation under control after RU students clash with locals, over 200 injured

The situation in Rajshahi University (RU) campus has been brought under following the clash that ensued between the students and local businessmen over bus fare, said police.

"Police have the situation under control. No police personnel was injured in the clash. No case has been filed in this incident so far. The university authorities are scheduled to hold a discussion with students and student leaders at 10:30am. From there we hope a solution will come," Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Commissioner Anisur Rahman told The Business Standard (TBS).

More than 200 students of the university have been injured in the clash. Of them, 85 are currently undergoing treatment at the Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), RU Proctor Professor Asabul Haque told TBS.

Law enforcers have been deployed in the Talaimari, Kajla, Maingate, and Binodpur Bazar areas of the university.

However, the situation is still tense in the Binodpur market area of the university.

Rajshahi-Dhaka highway has been closed by the police from Talaimari to the Chauddpai area. Police and BGB personnel have been deployed at the spot.

Local traders were seen taking positions in front of their shops in the Binodpur market on Sunday morning. Police are assessing the damage the traders incurred due to the clash.

"Police personnel,  including senior police officers kept watch at the spot all night. When the students returned to the halls after 2am, the situation came under control. Since then there have been no further clashes," said Motihar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Hafizur Rahman.

Earlier on Saturday (11 March) evening, an altercation with a student of the university over bus fare led to a clash with local shopkeepers. The incident took place in the Binodpur Gate area of the university. As per local sources, the clash occurred following an altercation between a student, who returned to the campus from his home in Bogura, and bus employees over his fare.

From then till 9pm, students were chased by the locals, counter-chased and pelted with bricks.  Later the students occupied the Binodpur gate of the university and set fire to and vandalised shops. The students position on the highway at around 12:30am. They returned to the dormitories at around 2am.  After that, the police brought the situation under control.

Dhaka bound Dhumketu Express from Rajshahi was stopped when a part of the agitated students a stand on the railway line in front of the fine arts faculty of the university at 11pm. Later the train left for Dhaka after 3am.

Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton and Police Commissioner Anisur Rahman along with other senior police officials visited the spot on Saturday.

Shahidul Islam Shahid, president of Binodpur Market Traders Association, claimed, "Around 30 to 40 students of the university started beating the helper and driver of the bus in the evening. The victims sought refuge in a nearby shoe shop, where the students followed and proceeded to assault the shopkeeper."

"This altercation escalated into a larger conflict involving other shopkeepers and resulted in the burning of approximately 30 shops. Some shopkeepers sustained injuries during the attack and have been admitted to hospital," he added.