The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

At least 50 students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute were injured in a violent clash between Bangladesh Chhatra League and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists following a brawl over sitting in the dining-room of a dorm.

Principal of the institute Shamsul Alam told UNB that they asked all of its students to vacate their dormitories by 5pm "so we can control the whole situation".

Students told reporters that an altercation occurred between BCL and ICS activists at about 11 Saturday night over sitting in the dining-room of Latif Hall. At the night it did not turn into violence. But the pent-up anger on both sides erupted on Sunday morning into a clash that lasted long from 10am to 1pm, leaving at least 50 students injured, campus sources said.

Among the injured, seven were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, six to Al Razi Hospital and four to Orthopedic Hospital. Amid widespread chase and counter-chase, at least 10 rooms, windows, doors and furniture of the college and its dorms were vandalized. On information, police rushed in and brought the situation under control at about 1pm.

Rafique, a Shibir activist, alleged that a group of BSL men suddenly attacked them this morning and "started beating one after another after locking the main gate of Latif Hall".

But the BSL side refuted the allegation and blamed the Chhatra Shibir activists for triggering the trouble.

Meanwhile, hundreds of students of Jagannath University on Sunday staged demonstrations demanding repair its 11 dormitories and return of the halls to the students.

Police said some 500 students came in a procession and dropped a memorandum of their demand into the office of Vice-chancellor Dr Sirajul Islam at about 1pm.

"The demonstrating students also locked in a clash with policemen when they tried to get out of the campus with their procession," says a spot account of the scene.

Rallies and processions are prohibited under the current state of emergency in the country.

However, no one was injured in the incident.