Over 30 people including journalists and students were injured on Tuesday as students of Dhaka College locked into a series of clashes again with traders of New Market at Nilkhet intersection in the city.
The whole area turned into a battleground after a fresh clash erupted between them around 10 am as a sequel to a clash Monday midnight, said witnesses.
The clashes were continuing till filing of this report at 4pm.
Of the injured, some 24 people were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said a DMCH source.
The clashes disrupted vehicular movement from Science Lab to Azimpur and created a long tailback on Mirpur Road and adjacent areas.
Shop owners in the areas kept their shutters down since morning.
The fresh clash erupted as the students went to the intersection around 10am to form a human chain in protest against last night’s alleged attack on them by members of the New market Traders’ Association.
Some traders of New Market “teased and provoked” the protesters, triggering this morning’s clash, according to witnesses.
Brick chips, crude bombs were thrown during the chase and counter-chase between the two groups while police lobbed tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.
“Around 12 pm fire broke out in some shops at Chandrima Super Market and Nurjahan Super Market after crude bombs were thrown at those allegedly by students. It was later doused but a vehicle of Fire Service sent there could not reach the spot as the traders did not allow it to move,” said Khaleda Yasmin, Deputy Officer (media), Fire Service and Civil Defence.
“At least 30 students of Dhaka College were injured in the clash that started from last night”, said Dr Md Abdul Kuddus Shikder, Secretary of Dhaka College Teachers Council.
Sharif, Assistant Commissioner (New Market zone) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, “I am currently undergoing treatment at a hospital after suffering injuries while controlling the situation last night.”
“The students took to the streets again in the morning to protest the last night’s attack and some of them said they would not let the traders open their shops until the perpetrators of last night’s alleged attack are brought to justice,” he added.
According to the students, two of their peers are being treated at Square Hospital as they “sustained injuries in their eyes when police fired rubber bullets last night”.
Deepto TV’s journalist Asif Sumit, and its cameraperson, SA TV’s reporter Tuhin and cameraperson Kabir Hossain, MY TV’s reporter Danny Drong and RTV’s camera person Sumon Dey were injured during the clash.
Photographer of the Daily Star Prabir Das and reporter of Ajker Patrika Al Amin Raju were allegedly beaten up by the traders during the clash.
Around midnight on Monday, a clash ensued between the traders and college students, with the latter alleging that few of their peers were thrashed and stabbed by a couple of shopkeepers when they had gone to the market for shopping.
Police lobbed teargas shells and fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control after nearly four hours.
Traffic on Mirpur Road came to a halt for a few hours due to the clash, in which some cops also sustained injuries.
