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Not a nice November: Bloody month of student violence

The fuse for what was about to center the latest round of student-led violence was lit earlier, in late October

TBS report

November 25, 2024, 8:20 PM

Last modified: November 25, 2024, 8:27 PM

From left: Titumir College students block Mohakhali Road on November 18; students destroy the Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College on November 24; and students clash in Demra on November 25. Photos: collected

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The month of November, normally a period when coolness begins to descend on Bangladesh, which is just beginning to shed its sweltering pall, this time was marked by something different: continued rounds of student violence.

Throughout the month, the brutality usually associated with the Chhatra League had now seemingly seeped into almost every student population.

Elsewhere, there were also protests in the RMG sector and over the ban on battery-operated rickshaws on the streets of Dhaka.

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While those who, along with others who had complaints, were dealt with, the students continued in one place or another.

The fuse for what was about to center the latest round of student-led violence was lit earlier, in late October.

The Titumir Nightmare

Despite weeks of blockade by students of the seven colleges affiliated to Dhaka University, the government has announced that a special facility will be set up on the DU premises for the seven students only, with dedicated officials and registrars.

This did not meet Titumir students’ demand for the establishment of a separate autonomous university for their institutions, making them unhappy.

They decided to continue their movement and announced the closure of all types of internal academic classes and examinations of the seven colleges.

They also held three days of demonstrations on campuses demanding an independent university.

On November 18, students from Titumir College came to Mohakhali for a nightmarish day.

Their protest completely disrupted traffic.

Worse still, a train was also attacked, injuring several passengers.

Rafiq Uddin Raihan, a student from the university’s English department, told TBS: “A committee should be formed. It takes a long time to establish a university. But if there is one, the committee will gradually working on.”

Others agreed that the first step was to immediately form a committee on the matter.

The next day, the Ministry of Education announced the formation of a committee to investigate the feasibility of converting Titumir College into a university. After the formation of the committee, the students announced a suspension of the protest after the decision was made to form a committee.

Dhaka College and City College are opposite each other

Two days after the arguments at Titumir College had died down, a fuse was lit again.

On November 20, students from Dhaka College and City College clashed in the Science Lab area.

Students from Dhaka College alleged that students from City College beat up one of their students who was alone that morning.

Stones and stones were pelted on a bus belonging to Dhaka College this afternoon.

A two-hour clash ensued, in which fifteen people were injured.

Witnesses said both groups used sticks and iron bars, chased each other and threw stones, causing injuries.

The Dhaka College Teachers Council subsequently demanded the removal of City College from the area, saying that more than 150 students of Dhaka College were injured in the clashes.

Textile Uni and Polytech students clash in Tejgaon

Suddenly, on the night of November 24, the news started reporting this students from Bangladesh Textile University (Butex) and Dhaka Polytechnic Institute had locked horns in Tejgaon Industrial area.

Police and witnesses said a fight broke out between students of the two educational institutions due to a verbal altercation.

Soon, chases and counter-pursuits had begun, lasting an hour from 10 p.m.

At one point, police and army personnel arrived to separate the two groups of students.

About 30 students from both sides were injured in the clash.

One death, then devastating attacks

Earlier, on November 24 morning, another wave of clashes had occurred at the Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital in Old Dhaka.

First, students at Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College the hospital over the death of a student, which they said was the result of improper treatment.

The vandalism apparently extended to Suhrawardy and Kabi Nazrul colleges.

The next day (November 25), students from Suhrawardy and Kabi Nazrul colleges attacked the Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College.

The entire Jatrabari area came to a standstill. When the dust settled, hundreds of students and teachers were injured.

The police are charging 8,000 students

The police have filed charges against 8,000 students from various colleges, including Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College (DMRC) in the capital, on charges of vandalism and theft of magazines filled with bullets.

Sutrapur police station sub-inspector AKM Hasan Mahmudul Kabir filed the case as the plaintiff yesterday (November 24).

Anupam Das, sub-inspector of the general registration wing of the police station, confirmed the matter today