Police, quota-protester clash leave several students hurt

Police and quota protesters clashed in Chattogram on Thursday 11 July 2024.

PChattogram, July 11 – Several students and one female police personnel were injured after incidents of scuffles and baton charges between quota reform protesters and police occurred in Chattogram city on Thursday.

Earlier, police surrounded students in the city's Tiger Pass area for about half an hour. Despite police obstruction, the students proceeded to the Sholashahar area.

As of 7:45 pm, protesters with candles have taken position at the city’s Gate 2 roundabout, vowing to stay all night until their demands are met. This has halted traffic on a major city road, causing difficulties for residents.

During the scuffles, female police personnel and several students were injured. Their identities are not yet known.

Earlier, around 4:45 pm, students began moving towards Lalkhan Bazar, ignoring police obstruction and chanting slogans at the police. Police officers were seen running after them.

Due to unfavourable weather, protesters gathered at Batali Station around 4 pm instead of blocking roads as initially planned. They then moved to block Tiger Pass Road. At around 4:20 pm, police surrounded them from both front and back.

Despite being surrounded until 4:40 pm, a scuffle broke out, and the students managed to proceed towards WASA via Lalkhan Bazar, defying the police.

Md Faisal Mahmud Joy, a third-year student at Chittagong University, stated, “Our movement has no connection with the 2018 movement. We will not leave the streets until our demands are met.”

The 2018 movement demanded reforms in jobs for grades 9 to 13, while the current protesters demand reforms in all grades, he added. - UNB