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Quota reform protesters attacked at Dhaka University
Dhaka University Correspondent bdnews24.com
Published: 2018-06-30 13:21:12.0 BdST Updated: 2018-06-30 17:41:00.0 BdST
The protesters have blamed the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) for the attack.
Students and job seekers have been protesting for several months, calling for reforms to the quota system for public sector jobs.
Though Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ‘announced’ the abolition of the quota system, the protesters have vowed to continue their demonstrations until the government issues an official notice on the matter.
Protest leaders had gathered in front of the Dhaka University Central Library around 11am on Sunday for a press conference that had been previously announced.
Council to Protect the Rights of Bangladesh General Students Convener Hasan Al Mamun, and Joint Conveners Farooq Hassan and Nurul Haque Nur were present at the event. The protesters claim a group of BCL activists attacked them before their conference began.
Mamun and Farooq managed to leave the scene but Nur was thrown to the ground and beaten intensely.
He was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Another protest leader, Arosh, was beaten after he left the library around 12pm. He was thrown to the ground and kicked repeatedly.
He has also been admitted to DMCH.
Some BCL activists attempted to enter the library to chase after any protesters taking refuge there, but were fended off by Library Director Prof SM Zabed Ahmed.
Ahmed was also struck when he attempted to intervene in the beating of Nur, witnesses said. Ahmed did not respond to questions from the media.
“We were preparing to hold a press conference around 10:45am when several hundred Chhatra League activists attacked Nur, Farooq and I,” Hasan Al Mamun told bdnews24.com.
“Farooq and I managed to get to a safe location, but Nur was beaten so badly he had to be hospitalised.”
Awami League leaders have not commented on the situation.
Former BCL Central Committee Vice President Mehedi Hassan Rony was present at the scene of the incident.
“The prime minister has accepted the protesters’ demands,” he said. “But they continue to disrupt the educational environment with their demonstrations. They have made several provocative remarks. The BCL is prepared to do what it needs to in order to preserve the educational environment and stability in the country.”
BCL leader SM Zakir Hossain denied the accusation that his organisation was involved in the attack at a media conference around 3:30pm.
“The quota protesters have continued their demonstrations, even after assurances from the prime minister. The issue is being handled at the highest levels of government since the prime minister’s announcement. But they aren’t patient and are ruining the educational environment in the name of their protest movement, creating instability across the country.”
“The violence was the result of an internal clash. No member of the Chhatra League was involved. If any member participated in it, they did so personally, not as a representative of the Chhatra League,” he said.
A faction of the BCL were seen occupying the front entrance of the Dhaka University Central Library.
Protest leader Hasan Al Mamun was seen lying injured on the floor at the Dhaka University Library around 2:30pm. He was later admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 3pm.
https://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2018/06/30/quota-reform-protesters-attacked-at-dhaka-university