Over 50 Injured as Chittagong University Students Clash with Locals Overnight

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More than 50 people were injured in a clash between Chittagong University students and local residents.

The confrontation unfolded around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday near Jobra, following an argument between a female student renting a room close to Gate No. 2 of the university and the building’s security guard.

Locals say the student returned home around 11 p.m., found the gate locked, and called the guard. The guard arrived and an exchange escalated, with insults and a slap reportedly directed at the student.

The student alerted her classmates, and a group of students went to the building. Locals, siding with the guard, pursued them, sparking a broader clash. The two groups hurled bricks and wielded sticks and rods as chaos ensued.

There are also allegations from locals that some students were attacked with sharp weapons.

Around 3 a.m., CU Proctor Tanvir Md Hayder Arif used Facebook to request support, writing that many students were injured in the Gate No. 2 incident and naming several injured university officials and security personnel. He added that university vehicles, police vehicles, and other property were vandalized.

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) Kamal Uddin said army personnel arrived at the scene about 3:30 a.m. to restore order. He told bdnews24.com that the conflict began after the doorman of a residential building struck one of the students; when students protested, locals attacked them, resulting in numerous injuries.

Kamal noted that there were not enough police on site initially. While officials contacted the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), they did not receive an immediate response. Ultimately, the Army arrived and helped bring the situation under control.