C T Online Desk: The Hathazari Upazila administration has imposed Section 144 restrictions after two rounds of clashes between Chittagong University students and local residents near Gate No. 2 of the university.
As a result, all assemblies, rallies, gatherings, and marches at Chittagong University and its surrounding areas are banned from 2pm on Sunday.
Fahmun Nabi, staff officer of the Chattogram deputy commissioner, said that the restrictions will remain in place until midnight on Monday.
The students initially clashed with the residents of Jobra around 11:30pm on Saturday.
The violence was sparked by an argument between a female student renting a room near the university’s Gate No. 2 and a security guard of the building.
Locals say that the student returned home around 11pm. Finding the building’s gate locked, she called the guard. The guard came and became embroiled in an argument with the student. At one point he insulted the student and slapped her.
The student then informed her classmates of the incident. A group of students then went to the building and were chased by locals who took the guard’s side. The two sides then began to clash. They threw brickbats and chased each other while carrying sticks and rods.
Many have alleged that locals gathered more people to attack the students by making announcements over megaphones.
There were several allegations of locals attacking students with sharp weapons.
Around 3am, CU Proctor Tanvir Md Hayder Arif took to Facebook to call for support.
He wrote, “Many students were injured in the clash between our students and the locals at Gate No. 2. Assistant Proctor Korban Ali Sir, Nazmul Sir, and Security Chief Rahim Bhai were injured. Many security personnel were injured. Vehicles belonging to the Proctorial Body, police and the university were vandalised.”
Deputy Vice Chancellor Kamal Uddin said that Army personnel arrived at the scene around 3:30am to try to control the situation.
He told bdnews24.com over the phone at night, “The doorman of a residential building raised his hand against one of our students tonight. When our students protested, the villagers attacked them, injuring many students.”
Kamal said, “There weren’t enough police at the scene. We contacted the RAB (Rapid Action Battalion), but did not get a response from them. Finally, the Army came. They brought the situation under control.”
Mohammad Abu Tayyab, the chief medical officer at the Chittagong University Medical Centre, told bdnews24.com that the medical centre had provided first aid to at least 60 with injuries after the clashes.
All exams at the university have been suspended following the initial clash.
On Sunday morning, locals allegedly blocked the road again, trapping students living in the area inside their houses.
Witnesses say that students began gathering in the area around 11am in separate groups. When a number of students had gathered around noon, it led to a fresh clash with the locals.
Students say the incident occurred on Sunday afternoon when locals attacked a group of students who had gone to “rescue” another group of fellow students.
Deputy Vice Chancellor Kamal Ahmed and members of the university administration went to the scene to try and calm the situation.
The deputy vice chancellor and several students were hit by brickbats at the scene and injured.
