-Fraud offering Tk one lakh at Shahbagh
-Battery-run rickshaw driver’s blockade Agarghon
-DMP refuses the DMRC claim on 3 dead
-8,000 named in case filed by police
-Damage amounted to a loss of Tk 270,000
-Chinmoy Krishna taken into DB custody
An organization named ‘Ahinsa Gana-Abhyuthan Bangladesh’ (Non-violent People’s Upheaval Bangladesh) has tried to lure people from across the country to Shahbagh in the capital Dhaka by offering them a loan of Tk one lakh.
Later, with the help of police and students of Dhaka University (DU), the situation was normalized by explaining to them, Shahbagh police station informed.
Those, who have been lured by this so-called organization, said that “they told them that the money smuggled abroad will be brought back to the country. Those who will appear at Shahbagh, will be given a loan of Tk one lakh”.
The police and the people coming to Shahbagh said that by falling this temptation, general people started coming to Dhaka in buses, pickups and microbuses from all over the country after 1:00 am on Sunday (November 24).
Later, the police and DU students tried to convince the people and send them back.
Around 7 am yesterday morning, heavy traffic was seen in Shahbagh and DU areas. After that, university students and police spoke to those who came there and sent them back by explaining that “they fell into a trap”. Later, the situation gradually became normal.
Talking to several people who came by bus, it was learned that “most of them do not know what exactly will happen in Shahbagh”. They said they were told they would be given a loan of Tk one lakh. This is why, they came.
“Tk 1,000 has been taken from them for a registration fee,” according to some people.
Shahbagh police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Shahabuddin Shahin told the media that an organization called ‘Ahingsha Gana-Abhyutthan Bangladesh’ had sought permission to gather people in Shahbag, however, the police did not allow them. The organization lured the villagers, who would come to the rally, to be given a loan of Tk one lakh. Police did not allow people to gather.
Throughout the month, the brutality usually associated with the Chhatra League had now seemingly seeped into almost every student body.
Elsewhere, protests were also seen in the RMG sector, and over the ban of battery-run rickshaws on Dhaka streets.
While those, alongside others making grievances were being dealt with, the students continued, in one place or another.
The fuse for what was about to come centring the latest round of student-led violence was lit earlier, at the end of October.
In the face of weeks of blockades by students of the seven Dhaka University-affiliated colleges, the government announced that there will be a dedicated facility only for the seven college students on DU premises, with dedicated officials and registrars.
This did not meet Titumir students' demand for the formation of a separate autonomous university for their institutions, leaving them unhappy.
They decided to continue their movement and announced the closure of all types of internal academic classes and examinations of the seven colleges.
They also held rallies on campuses for three days demanding an independent university.
Their protest saw traffic movement completely disrupted.
Worse, a train was also attacked, leaving multiple passengers injured.
Rafiq Uddin Raihan, a student of the college's English department, said, "A commission has to be formed. It takes a long time to establish a university. But if it's formed, the commission will gradually work on that."
Others agreed that the first step was to immediately form a commission in this regard.
The next day, the education ministry announced the formation of a committee to examine the feasibility of converting Titumir College into a university. Following the committee, formation, the students announced a suspension of the protest after the decision to form a committee was made.
Two days after the Titumir College fracas had died down, another fuse was ignited.
Dhaka College students alleged that City College students had beaten up one of their students who was alone that morning.
Bricks and stones were pelted on a Dhaka College bus in the afternoon.
A two-hour clash followed, leaving 15 people injured.
Witnesses said both groups wielded sticks and iron rods, chased each other, and hurled brick chips, resulting in injuries.
The Dhaka College Teachers Council then demanded the removal of City College from the area, saying that over 150 students from Dhaka College were injured in the clashes.
All of a sudden, on the night of 24 November, news began to break that students of the Bangladesh Textile University (Butex) and Dhaka Polytechnic Institute had locked horns in the Tejgaon Industrial area.
Police and witnesses said a fight had broken out between students from the two educational institutions stemming from a verbal argument.
Soon rounds of chases and counter-chases had begun, lasting for an hour from 10pm.
At one stage, police and army personnel arrived to separate the two groups of students.
About 30 students from both sides were injured in the clash.
First, students of Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College vandalised the hospital over the death of a student, which they alleged was due to wrong treatment.
The vandalism apparently extended to Suhrawardy and Kabi Nazrul colleges.
Students of Suhrawardy and Kabi Nazrul colleges attacked Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College yesterday.
The entire Jatrabari area came to a halt. When the dust settled, hundreds of students and teachers were left injured.
The police have filed a case against 8,000 students of various colleges including Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College (DMRC) in the capital on charges of vandalism and theft of magazines filled with bullets.
Dhaka's Sutrapur Police Station Sub-Inspector AKM Hasan Mahmudul Kabir filed the case as the plaintiff on 24 November.
Anupam Das, sub-inspector of the general registration branch of the police station, confirmed the matter yesterday.
The drivers have been blocking roads in the capital for six consecutive days, protesting the High Court’s ban on the operation of battery-powered rickshaws.
They blocked the road in the Agargaon area of Dhaka yesterday at around 10:30 am, resulting in the suspension of vehicular movement on that road.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Traffic-Mirpur Division, Tania, said, "Battery-powered rickshaw drivers have blocked the road in Agargaon. Due to their blockade, traffic is being disrupted. To keep traffic flowing, we are redirecting vehicles from Mirpur 10 to alternative routes. We are working to bring the situation under control."
Earlier, on Sunday, rickshaw drivers staged a sit-in protest in front of the National Press Club, pressing for 12 demands, including the resumption of battery-powered rickshaws. Following this, the Rickshaw-Van-Easybike Workers' Union announced the suspension of their programme and decided to meet with Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali.
On the other hand, hundreds of rickshaw drivers also gathered at Mohammadpur Beribadh Road, Tin Rasta Mor, Jatrabari Mor, and Kamrangirchar, blocking these roads entirely and disrupting all types of vehicular movement. This caused immense suffering for office-goers and commuters.
However, Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury on Sunday stated that the issue of battery-powered auto-rickshaw operations would be resolved in light of the High Court's directive.
The High Court, on November 19, directed the cessation or restriction of battery-powered auto-rickshaw operations within three days across all roads in the Dhaka Metropolitan Area. This directive was issued to the Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dhaka's Deputy Commissioner, administrators of the two city corporations, and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner.
Chinmoy Krishna, spokesperson of Bangladesh Sanatan Jagaran Mancha, and head of Pundarik Dham in Chittagong, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport yesterday at 4:30pm.
Additional Commissioner of DB, Rezaul Karim Mallik, confirmed the detention, saying that it was based on a requisition related to a complaint.
He mentioned that Chinmoy Krishna would be handed over to the related police station.
However, the specific details of the complaint against him were not immediately disclosed by the DB official.
ZH
