Hooligans assault students in Mirpur

MNA National Desk: Some unidentified youths armed with sticks assaulted student protesters when they were already battling against the police during their campaign for safe roads in Mirpur.

A large swathe of the area turned into a chaotic scene as police chased and beat the students. Then a group of stick-wielding youths arrived on the road to drive the protesters away.

The bdnews24.com reporter saw at least one student injured as the clashes unfolded at 4pm on Thursday.

The students have continued a popular campaign for safe roads since Jul 29 when two of their fellows lost their lives to a fatal bus crash on a key thoroughfare.

A student asking not to be named narrated Thursday’s incident.

A human chain with calls for safe roads was underway in Mirpur-14. Suddenly, police tried to remove the students from the road, which prompted the protesters to hurl brickbats at the law enforcers.

The police then chased and assaulted students sparking panic in the area. Later, a group of youths identified as local Jubo League activists by the students beat them.

In their version of the incident, the police said the students were violent.

“They tried to attack Kafrul Police Station. They tried to break the main gate of the Public Order Management Division and pelted the police with stones,” Yeasmeen Saika Pasa, assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Pallabi Zone.

But she would not comment on the identity of the stick-wielding group who beat the students. Jubo League leaders were not immediately available for comment.

Meanwhile, at least three students were injured during their protests in the Science Laboratory area around 4pm. They were taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.