At least six, including three students and two pedestrians were killed on Tuesday during violent clashes between the anti-quota protesters, law enforcement agencies and Bangladesh Chhatra League at different parts of the country.
It was pandemonium as several hundred students, including journalists, were also injured badly during bloody clashes across the country.
The deceased were identified as Abu Sayeed (25), a student of Rokeya University in Rangpur, as students are protesting the quota system in government jobs.
Protesters, police, BCL and Juba League members locked in sporadic clashes on the Begum Rokeya University at about 2:00pm. The clashes that lasted for about two hours.
Police lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets, leaving an English department student named Abu Sayeed dead and injuring over 100 students. Sayeed was one of the members of coordinating committee of the anti-quota movement.
In Chattogram, three people---Wasim Akram (23), Firoz Ahmed (24), Omar Faruq (32) were killed during the clashes while the identities of two youths, killed in Dhaka, were not confirmed till filing the report at 8:00pm.
Wasim and Firoz were identified as college students located in Chattogram while Faruq was an employee of a local furniture shop.
The incident took place at Muradnagar area at about 3:00pm, leaving at least three people killed.
They were taken to hospital at about 4:00pm and the on-duty doctors declared them dead. The doctors informed the reporters that they found marks of bullet injuries on the bodies.
Students across the country took to the streets protesting the BCL-men attack on protesters on Dhaka University campus on Saturday.
During the clash between the protesters and police and BCL, over 100 were also injured. Of the injured, 15 were bullet-hit.
Amid worsening situation, the government on Tuesday deployed Border Guard Bangladesh in Dhaka, Gazipur, Chattogram, Bogura, Rangpur and Rajshahi to bring the situation under control.
Condemning the deaths of students, anti-quota movement coordinator Nahid Islam told reporters that it was a killing.
“A trial should have to be held for the killing,” he said, adding that they would continue the movement until their demand is met.
The clashes took place between the protesters and the activists of the BCL, the student wing of the ruling Awami League.
The ongoing anti-quota movement has taken a sharp turn as students of different private universities and colleges, including Notre Dame and Viqurunnisa Noon School, took to the streets demanding the cancellation of the quota system in government jobs.
The protesters also blocked highways and railway tracks across the country, snapping the road and railway communications with Dhaka and rest of the country.
Students of the Jahangirnagar University, Khulna University, Chittagong University, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, International Islamic University blocked the highways and railway tracks in their respective areas, snapping the communications with Dhaka.
During the protests, students blocked Science Lab, Mirpur-10, Merul Badda, Mohakhali, Jatrabari, Motijheel and other cities across the country. As a result, traffic came to a complete halt for several hours, intensifying the sufferings of the people.
Many were seen walking to reach their destinations.
Apart from the students of the public varsities, students of private universities including BRAC University, Southeast University, United International University, Prime-Asia University, Daffodil University, Eastern City University, Manarat University, Dhaka Ideal College, City College, Birsrestha Noor Mohammad Public College, Birsrestha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, Notre Dame and Viqurunnisa Noon School and College joined the movement.
Dhaka College: One unidentified youth was killed during a clash between BCL and protesters in front of Dhaka College.
Quoting physicians, Bachchu Mia, inspector of Dhaka Medical College Hospital police outpost, told reporters that an unidentified youth was taken to DMCH with serious injuries and on-duty doctors declared him dead.
He said some marks of fatal injuries were seen on his face.
Four students of Jagannath University and Kabi Nazrul College received bullet injuries during the clash in front of the Star Hotel in Old Dhaka.
Locals alleged that members of the AL and Juba League opened fire on the students, injuring Jagannath University students Ferdous Zaman and Anik and Kabi Nazrul College students Hasib and Nasim.
Dhaka National Medical College Hospital medical officer Dr Arif said they received four bullet-hit patients.
“The condition of the four patients are critical. After giving a primary treatment, all of them have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital,” he told reporters.
Kotwali zone ASP Nazrul told reporters that they heard of the incident of firing.
Science Lab: The protesters and BCL members locked in pitched battle. The whole area turned into a battle ground as sporadic clashes continued for several hours.
At least five students received bullet injuries while over 100 students were injured during the clashes.
Witnesses said students brought out processions protesting the Saturday attack and incidents of chasing and counter chasing took place at about 2:00pm.
The members of BCL and JL equipped with sharp weapons took position in front of Dhaka College and chased the protesters while the protesters pelted brickbats in a counter chasing.
Witnesses said that incident of firing took place at about 5:00pm.
