Staff Reporter :
Police used water cannons and stun grenades to disperse a student protest march heading towards the Secretariat on Thursday afternoon. The march, organised under the banner of “Aggrieved Student-Masses,” was protesting an attack on indigenous students that occurred on Wednesday.
The confrontation took place near Shikkha Bhaban, where police charged batons, leading to a chase and counter-chase with the protesters.
The protesters had gathered earlier at the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the Dhaka University campus around 11:30 am.
However, police intercepted the march and erected barricades near Shikkha Bhaban. When the protesters attempted to break through the barricades, police responded with water cannons and two stun grenades. After several minutes of clashes, the students retreated to the Dhaka University campus.
Md. Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner of Police for the Ramna Division, told the media, “We have no disagreement with their demands. We didn’t intend to beat them up; we only dispersed them.” He added that police had asked the protesters to send a delegation of representatives instead of marching toward the Secretariat, but they refused.
Jayma Munmun, a student of Eden College and leader of the Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, condemned the police action. “We were marching peacefully towards the Secretariat to protest yesterday’s attack and demand punishment for those involved. Police charged batons, used water cannons, and stun grenades, injuring six or seven of us. We strongly condemn this attack and will hold a protest rally at the Raju Memorial Sculpture,” she said.
The protests stem from a clash on Wednesday noon in front of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) building in Dhaka’s Motijheel area. The conflict arose over the inclusion of graffiti featuring the term “Adivasi” in textbooks.
The victims allege that members of the group “Students for Sovereignty” were behind the attack. However, the group has denied the allegations.