At least 20 anti-Modi protesters, including five journalists, were injured in a clash between the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League and leftist student organisations’ alliance Progressive Students’ Alliance on Dhaka University campus.
The incident took place at around 5:45pm on Tuesday.
Witnesses said that Progressive Students’ Alliance organised a protest rally protesting at Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka.
BCL activists took position at Teacher-Student Centre and Raju Memorial sculpture.
As the leftist protesters did not get a place there to burn an effigy of PM Modi, they decided to burn it on the south side of the Shoparjito Swadhinata Chattar. The clash started when the BCL leaders and activists barred it.
Central Student Front president Masud Rana, general secretary Rashed Shahriar, vice president of DU unit Sadiqur Rahman Sadiq, DU unit general secretary Tama Barman, among other injured, were sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Student Federation Bangladesh central president Golam Mostofa confirmed the matter.
The five injured photojournalists are Jibon Ahmed of Daily Manabzamin, Rubel Rashid of Desh Rupantor, Kazi Salauddin Raju Zuma Press, UAS, Jabed Hasnain Chowdhury of UNB, and a freelance journalist Himu.
Lekhak Bhattacharjee, BCL general secretary, said that the leftist organisation activists were engaged in a factional clash.
‘Some of our activists sustained injuries as we were in a programme beside them,’ he claimed.
