75 injured; police use rubber bullets, teargas; DU VC's residence vandalised, 3 cars torched; clash continues for hours after midnight
At least 75 people were injured yesterday as police clashed with students demanding reforms in the quota system in public service, turning the capital's Shahbagh intersection and its adjacent areas into a battlefield.
Police fired several hundred teargas shells and rubber bullets, used water cannons and charged batons to disperse the demonstrators who blocked the intersection for over five hours since 2:30pm.
A section of the protesters broke the main gate of the residence of the Dhaka University vice chancellor around 1:45am today. They vandalised furniture and other belongings, and also torched three cars inside the compound, according to witnesses and fire service personnel.
About half-an-hour later, BCL men swooped on the protesters and chased them away from the VC's residence. Several gunshots were heard at that time, added the witnesses.
A section of demonstrators march down a road in front of Aziz Supermarket. Photo: Palash Khan
Another group of demonstrators took position near the DU mosque and continued to chant slogans. Around a hundred yards away, law enforcers took position in front of the Public Library.
Talking to reporters in front of the national museum around 1:45am, Awami League lawmaker Jahangir Kabir Nanak said party General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader will sit with the protesters around 11:00am today.
- The DailyStar/9 Apr 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment