The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mamunur Rashid

Angry students of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute in Tejgaon area clashed with riot police for the second successive day yesterday over the death of a fellow student leaving more than 100 people including 50 policemen injured.

Police said the students of the Institute took to the streets, damaged passing vehicles in Tejgaon industrial area and clashed with law enforcers to protest the death of Ashiqur Rahman, a 2nd year student of the institute who died when a bus ran over him on Friday night in front of the Institute.

Ashiqur's death led to an instant protest by students who clashed with police resulting in injuries to at least 15 people on Friday night.

The Polytechnic Institute authorities held an emergency meeting and asked the students to vacate the five halls and dormitories by 1.00pm yesterday following direction of the Education Ministry.

But the students didn't leave the Hall and the dormitories till 2:pm. Instead they battled with the police for the second time yesterday. A large number of agitated students came to the "Satrastra" crossing at 9:00am, set ablaze a bus of Himalaya Paribahan and vandalised vehicles passing through the area.

The Firemen rushed to the scene and doused the fire of the bus. The protesters hurled brickbats at the police who were trying to bring the situation under control. Many of the students were seen wielding sticks.

Witnesses said the students from Zahir Hall, Motihar Hall, Latif Hall (West) and Latif Hall (East) joined the protest.

As the situation went beyond control police fired over 200 tear gas shells and rubber bullets. Many students took position on the roofs of their dormitories and hurled brickbats at the police.

The area turned into a veritable battlefield in a short time as hundreds of angry students were locked in a fierce clash with the law enforcers.

Tejgaon Zone DC of Police Mahbubur Rahman, ADC Walid Hossain, OC of Tejgaon Industrial area Sikdar, Inspector (Riot) Babul Miah, Tejgaon thana OC Lutfar Rahman, SI Yakub, ASI Shamsu, and constables Hadi and Masud were among the injured.

Protesters blocked the roads in Tejgaon area and Tongi Diversion Road for seven hours.

This created a serious traffic jam in the capital.

As the students did not vacate the halls and dormitories within the deadline, the authorities of the Poly technique institute held an emergency meeting for the second time and requested the students to leave the campus. The students at first refused to vacate halls and dormitories because of upcoming examinations. Later they started vacating their halls from 3 pm.

Before leaving the campus they placed 12- point demand to the authorities. The demands include compensation to family of the deceased student, installing speed breakers in front of the institute, banning movement of heavy vehicles and half bus fare for the students.

Most of the students of the institute had to face immense problems because of the sudden order to vacate their halls and dormitories.

The principal of the institute, Shamsul Alam, said "We have asked the students to leave the dormitories as the situation went out of control."