6 injured as Chhatra Dal, students clash at Sylhet Agricultural University

Six people were injured in a violent clash between Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activists and general students of Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU) on campus in the wee hours today (25 October) over the tearing down of banners put up by the BNP student wing. 

The conflict began at around 12:30am and continued until 2am. Eventually, Bangladesh Army personnel went to the SAU campus and restored order at around 3am.

The incident followed Chhatra Dal's display of banners at the SAU main gate, welcoming admission candidates for the 2024-25 academic year. The banners were later torn down and discarded in a nearby drain by unknown individuals. 

Heated arguments over the torn banners escalated into a physical confrontation when resident students reportedly assaulted an outsider Chhatra Dal leader. He then mobilised the organisation's activists from nearby areas to confront the students, leading to further clashes involving sticks and brickbats.

"We arrived at the scene after being informed but were unable to control the escalating violence. We then alerted the police and army," said SAU Proctor Prof Dr Mozammel Haque.

Following the incident, students staged a sit-in in front of the university's second gate demanding the proctor's resignation.

Chhatra Dal leader Abu Said Robi, who is among the injured, claimed they displayed the banners outside the university premises as political activity on campus is banned.

"When we questioned the students who took down our banners, they turned on our members," he alleged, identifying them as activists of now banned Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League.

Meanwhile, the Chhatra Dal central committee dissolved the SAU Chhatra Dal unit committee over the incident, expelling its senior vice-president Shahedul Islam Romen, and formed a two-member inquiry committee which will submit its findings by Sunday (27 October).