At least 15 people were injured as the students of East West University clashed with police at Rampura in Dhaka on Wednesday during their demonstration against recently imposed 7.5 per cent value added tax on tuition fees of private university students.
Mashfiqur Rahman, the additional registrar of the university, who was bullet hit on his chest and hand in the firing, was admitted to United Hospital. He was, however, in stable condition.
Authorities of East West University after an emergency meeting in the evening decided to suspend its classes and examinations for Wednesday and Thursday, said proctor Anindita Paul.
Witnesses said some 200 students took to the streets at Pragati Sarani in front of the campus around 1:30pm. They blocked the busy road that connects Mouchak market and Kuril neighbourhood, demanding
withdrawal of the imposed ad valorem.
Around 2:00pm, police started firing rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and charging batons as the students refused to leave the street, witnesses said.
The additional registrar Mashfiqur Rahman and 15 others students were injured in the clash, according to university public relations officer, SM Mohiuddin.
The students took treatment at their campus medical centre.
Badda police officer-in-charge Abdul Jalil said the students threw stones when police urged them to leave the busy street.
‘Police later successfully took control of the situation’, he said adding that the students had blocked the busy road for about half-an-hour. An outpost of Badda police near the university was also vandalised by the students, he said.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner (Gulshan division), Mustaq Ahmed said the police did not attack on the students; rather they cleared the road as the students were not responding to police call.
Students said they were returning to their campus after peaceful demonstration. ‘But the police irrationally charged batons on us’, said a student of computer science department.
At around 4:00pm, the students attempted a fresh gathering in front of the campus, spreading panic in the area. Police tried to disperse them but more students joined.
Over a thousand students were on the street and stayed till 9:30pm, police and witnesses said.
The students said they would start demonstration from 9:00am today (Thursday). Students of eight other private universities would also join, they said.
Traffic movements were suspended in the wake of evening gathering.
Students from other private universities also rushed to Aftabnagar campus area to join the agitation.
They were chanting slogans and insisting that they would not quit, until the government declared that the VAT was withdrawn.
Several armoured personnel carriers, water canons and prison vans were deployed, witnesses said. The road also clamped in long traffic congestion for hours due to the clash in the evening.
The university vice-chancellor Ahmed Shafee said the police unnecessarily opened fire on the students.
‘Students were returning to campus as I urged them to clear the busy road, but the police opened fire on the students… It was excessive’, he said.
The university’s public relations officer, SM Mohiuddin, said the university authority was considering about taking legal measure against police for their ‘illegal power exercise’ on students and teachers.
The government slapped 7.5 per cent VAT on tuition fees of the private universities in the latest budget. Several private university students have demonstrated against the move.
Mashfiqur Rahman, the additional registrar of the university, who was bullet hit on his chest and hand in the firing, was admitted to United Hospital. He was, however, in stable condition.
Authorities of East West University after an emergency meeting in the evening decided to suspend its classes and examinations for Wednesday and Thursday, said proctor Anindita Paul.
Witnesses said some 200 students took to the streets at Pragati Sarani in front of the campus around 1:30pm. They blocked the busy road that connects Mouchak market and Kuril neighbourhood, demanding
withdrawal of the imposed ad valorem.
Around 2:00pm, police started firing rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and charging batons as the students refused to leave the street, witnesses said.
The additional registrar Mashfiqur Rahman and 15 others students were injured in the clash, according to university public relations officer, SM Mohiuddin.
The students took treatment at their campus medical centre.
Badda police officer-in-charge Abdul Jalil said the students threw stones when police urged them to leave the busy street.
‘Police later successfully took control of the situation’, he said adding that the students had blocked the busy road for about half-an-hour. An outpost of Badda police near the university was also vandalised by the students, he said.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner (Gulshan division), Mustaq Ahmed said the police did not attack on the students; rather they cleared the road as the students were not responding to police call.
Students said they were returning to their campus after peaceful demonstration. ‘But the police irrationally charged batons on us’, said a student of computer science department.
At around 4:00pm, the students attempted a fresh gathering in front of the campus, spreading panic in the area. Police tried to disperse them but more students joined.
Over a thousand students were on the street and stayed till 9:30pm, police and witnesses said.
The students said they would start demonstration from 9:00am today (Thursday). Students of eight other private universities would also join, they said.
Traffic movements were suspended in the wake of evening gathering.
Students from other private universities also rushed to Aftabnagar campus area to join the agitation.
They were chanting slogans and insisting that they would not quit, until the government declared that the VAT was withdrawn.
Several armoured personnel carriers, water canons and prison vans were deployed, witnesses said. The road also clamped in long traffic congestion for hours due to the clash in the evening.
The university vice-chancellor Ahmed Shafee said the police unnecessarily opened fire on the students.
‘Students were returning to campus as I urged them to clear the busy road, but the police opened fire on the students… It was excessive’, he said.
The university’s public relations officer, SM Mohiuddin, said the university authority was considering about taking legal measure against police for their ‘illegal power exercise’ on students and teachers.
The government slapped 7.5 per cent VAT on tuition fees of the private universities in the latest budget. Several private university students have demonstrated against the move.
Source: New Age
The MPs and ministers can bring luxury cars duty free and this illegal PM is imposing tax on students. What an irony.