At least 50 people, including two photojournalists, were injured during chase and counter chase between police and protesters in capital Dhaka and different parts of the country on Wednesday during the ‘March for Justice’ programme of the anti-discrimination student movement to press home their 9-point demand.
At least 46 protesters were detained in Barishal, Khulna, and Dinajpur districts.
The anti-discrimination student movement announced the ‘March for Justice’ programme on Tuesday night to protest the mass killings, mass arrests, attacks, lawsuits, enforced disappearances and murders of students and civilians across the country.
As part of the programme, they planned to stage demonstrations at educational institutions, court premises, and major roads across the country.
Dhaka: As part of the nationwide ‘March for Justice’ programme on Wednesday, protesters along with a section of teachers of Dhaka University (DU) marched towards the Supreme Court premises from Doel Chattar.
Shehreen Amin Monami, faculty member of the department of Public Administration at DU, has reportedly been injured in a scuffle with police near Curzon Hall on the university campus.
Earlier around 12:30pm, protesters and the teachers started gathering at the Doel Chattar on the campus to stage demonstrations.
Meanwhile, some lawyers of the Supreme Court barred police when they were reportedly trying to detain two students on the court premises.
Barishal: At least 40 people, including two photo journalists, were Injured in clashes between police and students in different areas of Barishal city during the ‘March for Justice’ programme.
Police detained at least 13 protesting students, including two female students.
Witnesses said when the protesters tried to bring out a procession in the town police obstructed them, resulting a clash between the two groups.
Students threw brickbats towards police while police charged batons to disperse them.
During the clashes, two journalists, Shamim Ahmed of Daily Jugantor and Mohammad Tuhin of Jamuna TV, were beaten by law enforcers.
At one stage, the clash spread to the entire area, including on the Sadar Road and Fakir Bari Road.
Police also obstructed another group of students when they tried to march towards the Barishal court area on Fazlul Haq Avenue.
The students were chanting slogans like “We Want Justice” and were blocked from entering the court premises, leading to further clash with the police.
Clashes were broke out at Kakli’s intersection, Bot Tala, and the Polytechnic Institute area.
Barishal Police Commissioner Jehadul Islam said they handled the situation with patience. “The situation is under our control,” he said.
Khulna: A clash took place between police and protesters of ‘March for Justice’ programme in Sadar upazila of Khulna.
The clash started at about 2:15pm in the city’s Satrasta intersection.
Students alleged that police interrogated and arrested at least 20 individuals.
Several hundred of students started a procession around 1:40pm from the city’s Nirala Mor and marched towards Royal Mor.
Ignoring police barricade at Moyla Pota intersection, the students staged a sit-in programme on the street in front of the Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) building at Satrasta intersection.
When police attempted to disperse them, incident of chasing and counter chasing took place. Police later charged batons to bring the situation under control.
The battle lasted for around an hour and a half. Later, a large number of police was deployed at various intersections, including Royal Mor and Moila Pota Mor to avert any untoward incident.
Tajul Islam, deputy commissioner (South) of Khulna Metropolitan Police said, “We are trying to control the situation”.
Asked about the arrest, he said police would speak on the matter after evening.
Dinajpur: Police detained nine students and a guardian during the ‘March for Justice’ programme in Dinajpur.
Of the detainees, five were female students.
Farid Hossain, officer-in-charge of Dinajpur Kotwali Police Station, confirmed the arrests.
The detainees, including five female students, were taken to the police station, the OC said.
Carrying various placards, students from various institutes gathered at Dinajpur Gor-e-Shaheed Boromath around 11:30am.
46 detained countrywide
As students, including female participants with red ribbons on their heads, chanted slogans, a police team, including members of Detective Branch (DB), arrived at the place and detained 10 protesters, OC Farid said.
Sylhet: Police dispersed protesters when they attempted to march towards the Subidbazar area of Sylhet city.
The protesters started taking position at the main gate of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) from 11:00am. Police who had taken position there before their arrival obstructed them, said witnesses.
Later, more students joined and started chanting slogans. At around 12:30 pm, hundreds of students marched to the city’s court point.
A clash ensued when the protesters tried to move towards Subidbazar and police restored to tear gas shells and sound grenade to disperse them, reports our correspondent from the spot.
Chattogram: As part of the nationwide ‘March for Justice’ programme, protesters held a demonstration at the Chattogram Court premises to press home their nine-point demand.
Around 11:30 am, protesters began gathering in front of Chattogram Zilla Parishad in Laldighi area, occupying the busy Laldighi Road for about half an hour, causing a traffic gridlock on both sides.
A group of lawyers from the court later joined the protesters, extending their support. In response, the police administration issued a half-hour ultimatum for the protesters to vacate the road.
The combined group of protesters and lawyers then marched to the front of the Lawyers’ Building, where they continued to demonstrate and chant slogans.
Thakurgaon: Clashes broke with police when protesters were staging demonstrations tying red cloths on foreheads as part of March for Justice programme in Thakurgaon town.
Protesters held a sit-in at the “Oporajeyo-71” monument located at Art Gallery Square in the city.
Earlier, the students marched to the entrance of the municipal office, but the police blocked their way when they attempted to proceed towards the Chaurasta area, leading to chase and counter-chase between the protesters and police that lasted nearly an hour and a half.
Initially, the students planned to gather at the Government Boys’ High School playground, but the police did not allow them to assemble there.
During the protest, the students demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the detained coordinators and students, withdrawal of false cases and an end to repression, reopening of universities, and justice for the killings of students and others.
Chandpur: Students staged demonstrations in the district town to extend support to ‘March for Justice’ programme.
They staged protests in front of Chandpur district judge court and the Deputy Commissioner’s office covering their faces with red clothes—a symbol of resistance.
Braving heavy rain, the protest began about 1:00pm with students gathering on the north side of the Chandpur-Cumilla regional road, near the DC office.
Attempts by the students to enter the District Judge Court were thwarted by police.
