Staff Correspondent
At least nine students of Jagannath University (JnU) sustained injuries when launch owners and workers attacked them at Sadarghat terminal on Thursday evening following a minor dispute, police and university authorities said.
The incident occurred around 8:00pm near Pier No. 9 when a group of students came under attack allegedly by launch staff armed with rods and bamboo sticks. Witnesses said the violence erupted after two JnU students visiting the area had an altercation with launch workers over what they called “misbehavior.”
“The workers first beat up our two friends. When we returned with more students to protest, they attacked us again with weapons,” said Omar Faruk Zilani, one of the injured students now receiving treatment at Dhaka National Medical College Hospital. Other injured students include Nabil, Mushfiq, Sher Ali and Brojo Gopal Roy.
Following the incident, enraged students vandalized several launches and blocked the terminal area for about an hour before police brought the situation under control.
Joint forces later conducted a raid and detained one Kiran in connection with the attack. “We’ve identified several suspects through CCTV footage and will take legal action,” said Lalbagh Zone ASP Fazlul Haque.
JnU Proctor Prof Muhammad Tajammul Haque told The Daily Star that university officials visited the spot immediately after the incident. “We’re working with police to ensure such incidents don’t recur,” he said.
The students have placed four demands including public arrest of the attackers, recovery of weapons used in the assault, and punishment for the alleged mastermind Suman.
Authorities have heightened security around the terminal area to prevent further clashes.
Students have demanded:
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Public arrest of all perpetrators
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Recovery of weapons used
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Legal action against alleged mastermind Suman
The terminal remains under heightened security as investigations continue.