ছবি: Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has clarified that no deaths occurred during the recent clashes among students from Shaheed Suhrawardy College, Kabi Nazrul College, and Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College. The DMP has also urged everyone to refrain from spreading false information regarding the incident.
Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) of the DMP, Muhammad Talebur Rahman, provided this update on Monday evening (November 25).
The dispute traces back to November 16, when Abhijit Hawlader, a student of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College, was hospitalized for dengue fever at Dhaka National Medical College and Hospital. Sadly, he passed away on November 18. That night, his family and some college students accused the hospital of medical negligence and vandalized its premises.
On November 20, approximately 500–600 students from the same college returned to the hospital to protest. The situation escalated, leading the hospital authorities to form a six-member investigation committee comprising doctors and students. However, this initiative was rejected by the students, who demanded more stringent actions.
Later, students from Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College joined the protests, leading to physical altercations. Two students from Shaheed Suhrawardy College were injured in the ensuing clashes. Police intervened to restore order. On November 24, around 2:00 PM, students of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College reportedly vandalized the Dhaka National Medical College again and then proceeded to vandalize and loot Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College.
The next day (November 25), a large group of nearly 12,000–15,000 students from Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College mobilized and attempted to march toward Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College. Despite police efforts to block them, the group managed to reach the college, where significant vandalism and looting occurred.
The clashes were fueled by tensions between two student alliances: the United Colleges of Bangladesh (UCB), representing students from 35 colleges, and a coalition of seven prominent colleges, including Dhaka College, Eden College, and Shaheed Suhrawardy College. Disputes over Abhijit’s death have exacerbated these tensions, leading to altercations and hostility between the groups.
To manage the escalating situation, police were deployed in large numbers across Sutrapur and Demra from early morning on November 25. Despite their efforts to control the crowd peacefully, the students broke through barricades, resulting in further clashes and property damage.
The DMP confirmed that approximately 25 students were injured in the clashes. It also dismissed rumors circulating on social media claiming that two students had died, labeling them as false and baseless.
“We urge everyone to avoid spreading misinformation and remain calm during this time,” said the DMP spokesperson.
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