Escalating Student Protests in Bangladesh Leave Over 100 Injured
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Synopsis
Dhaka, Feb 19 (NationPress) The violent confrontations at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) in Bangladesh that began on Tuesday have resulted in over 100 students sustaining injuries, according to reports from local media on Wednesday.
Key Takeaways
- Over 100 students injured during protests.
- Clashes stemmed from a ban on student politics.
- JCD and SAD involved in ongoing confrontations.
- Protestors demand the resignation of Vice Chancellor.
- Violence has escalated, disrupting academic activities.
Dhaka, Feb 19 (NationPress) The violent confrontations at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) in Bangladesh that began on Tuesday have resulted in over 100 students sustaining injuries, according to reports from local media on Wednesday.
The student groups representing various political beliefs and affiliations clashed over the proposed ban on student politics within the university.
On Wednesday evening, leaders of the Jatiyotabadi Chatro Dol (JCD), the student faction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), spoke to the media, accusing the Student Against Discrimination (SAD) and Bangladesh Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, of instigating the recent violence on the KUET campus.
The turmoil on campus escalated as protestors disrupted the operations of the institution and all academic activities. The students are also calling for the resignation of Vice Chancellor Mohammad Mashud.
During the demonstrations, students confined Mashud and other senior officials on the KUET campus on Tuesday night. The protesting students also had a physical confrontation with the VC and reportedly threw shoes at him, local media reported.
Members of JCD and SAD have been engaged in numerous clashes at KUET. SAD was the student group that led the nationwide protests and violence in Bangladesh during July and August 2024, which resulted in a coup against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
It has been claimed that JCD activists distributed leaflets at the campus on Monday advocating for the resumption of student politics. In contrast, SAD organized a parade at the university with various slogans opposing the ban on student politics. They shouted slogans such as “No place for student politics at KUET” and “We want a politics-free campus”, which triggered a clash between the two groups, leaving several injured.
