The Rajshahi University students clashed with local traders in Binodpur area, adjacent to the university, on Saturday evening that left several dozens injured.
Around 200 people, including local residents and students along with a campus-based journalist, were hurt in the clash, said witnesses.
The police said that a sociology department student was locked into an altercation and scuffled with a bus staff in Binodpur Bazar area at 6:30pm over the bus fare.
On information, several hundred students from various residential halls of the university rushed to the spot and engaged in a tussle with the bus staff.
As local traders came in to save the bus staff, the students also fought with them.
Witnesses said that the traders including local Awami League leaders and activists organised themselves within a few minutes and chased the students resulting in a triangular clash.
The students and the traders then began to chase and threw brick8 chips at each other, they added.
The students vandalised several shops and set them on fire while the traders damaged several motorcycles of the students.
Till filing the report at 9:00pm, some 50 people were injured as the clash continued.
RU proctor professor Ashabul Haque said that they were trying to bring the situation under control.
Abul Kalam Azad, assistant superintendent of police of Motihar division, told New Age that they were trying to bring the situation under control.
He added that the students barred the vehicles of the Fire Service and Civil Defence from entering the spot.
Traffic movement remained suspended on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway since filing this report at 9:00pm.
