About 50 people including journalists and students were injured on Tuesday as students of Dhaka College were locked in a series of clashes again with traders of New Market at Nilkhet intersection in the capital Dhaka following a trifling issue.
According to eyewitnesses, the whole area turned as though into a battleground after a fresh fray had erupted between them around 10:00am as a sequel to a clash Monday midnight.
According to the DMCH sources, of the injured, some 24 people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
At about midnight on Monday, a clash ensued between the Dhaka college students and the traders. The students alleged that a few of their peers were thrashed and stabbed by a couple of shopkeepers when they had gone to market for shopping.
Police lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control after nearly four hours.
Traffic on Mirpur Road was at a standstill for a few hours due to the clash in which some cops also sustained injuries.
The clashes crippled vehicular movement from Science Lab to Azimpur and created a long tailback at Mirpur Road and in adjacent areas.
Several journalists, reporters, and camera crew from Bangla Tribune, Deepto TV, and Daily Manab Zamin while covering the incident were attacked by shop employees.
Traders alleged that the journalists were not reporting the genuine news.
Around 12pm, Deepto TV Reporter Asif Zaman Sumit was assaulted by some shopkeepers of New Market.
While trying to save Sumit, Shahed Shafiq, senior reporter of Bangla Tribune, Shuvro Dev of Manab Zamin and Kabir Hossain, a senior camera person of SATV, were also attacked.
Shahed Shafiq said, “We were covering the news from a distance when we saw Deepta TV reporter Sumit was being assaulted. When we tried to save him, the New Market shopkeepers attacked us too”.
An ambulance with a patient inside was vandalized near the New Market foot-bridge around 11:45am. Several people from either side were left injured in the skirmishes.
Police finally arrived at the spot at around 12:50pm with an armoured vehicle and a water cannon to put an end to the violence.
Dhaka College authority has shut dormitories for a period from April 19 to May 5 following the fierce clash.
Prof ATM Mainul Hossain, Principal of the Dhaka College, issued a notice on Tuesday afternoon asking the students to immediately vacate hostels.
Traffic in Mirpur Road area came to a halt for a few hours due to the clash.
Commuters on Mirpur Road passed a day of intolerable sufferings as they remained stuck for hours due to heavy traffic gridlock on Tuesday following the clashes.
Besides, the vehicular movement in many other areas including Kalyanpur and Gabtoli came to almost standstill due to the clashes. As a result, the traffic congestion spread to other parts of the city.
Students of different educational institutions, including Dhaka University and Eden Mohila College, took to the streets in New Market area on Tuesday.
They said that they were protesting attack on fellow students.
A student of Eden College said, shop employees often misbehave with us when we go for shopping in New Market area. Many of them even verbally abuse us and sexually harass us when we try to bargain while shopping.
Another student said traders of New Market can't attack and injure students like this. They often mistreat students during shopping.
Some students of Dhaka University also demonstrated at the university entrance in Nilkhet.
Students of several nearby schools and colleges gathered there and shouted slogans against New Market's traders and shop employees.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said the violent confrontation between Dhaka College students and New Market traders could be quelled soon.
His remarks came on Tuesday while speaking to the media after a regular meeting over the law and order situation.
Asked about the clashes, which erupted just after midnight and resumed in the morning, Khan replied: “I hope the tension will cool down soon. Those involved will be brought to justice.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam said the situation became rather complicated. The police are not taking a hardline against the students due to technical reasons. The situation can’t be quelled with opening fire.
The clashes continued till filing of this report at 6:15pm.