At least 25 people were injured when the police charged batons on the members of Students' Union, who attempted to lay siege to DMP headquarters, over the sexual harassment incidents at Dhaka University during the Pohela Boishakh celebration.
Of the injured, five are police members, said SI Mizanur Rahman of Ramna police station.
He said: “The police members sustained injuries during a scuffle between the law enforcers and the demonstrating students of Students' Union in the capital's Mintoo road on Sunday afternoon.”
Hasan Tarek, president of Students' Union central committee, told the Dhaka Tribune: “As per our pre-announced schedule, we attempted to lay siege to the headquarters of Dhaka Metropolitan Police around noon.”
“The on-duty police members put a barricade on the road outside of the DMP office and obstructed our members from crossing the barricade. At one stage of the struggle, the police swooped on us and charged batons on the protesting students, leaving at least 20 people injured on our side.”
The law enforcers also fired tear shells on the demonstrators while they were staging the protest, added Tarek.
Besides, riot vehicles were also seen on the spot during the incident. Later, the police nabbed five members of the Students' Union from the spot.
They are Anik Ray, executive member of Bangladesh University of Textiles unit central committee of Students' Union; activist Saddam Hossain, Antu Nath, Tejgaon College unit organising Secretary; Dipendra Siddhanto, JU unit Students' Union general secretary and activist Ariful Islam.
When contacted, Moshiur Rahman, OC Ramna Police station, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We have detained those students as they were assaulting the on-duty police members and were trying to obstruct the law enforcers from performing their duties.”
Several women, who joined the Bengali New Year celebrations on April 14, were sexually harassed by a group of miscreants at Dhaka University's TSC and Suhrawardy Udyan gate areas.
Liton Nandi, DU unit Students' Union president, along with other activists received injuries while trying to rescue the victims. Later, the organisation members staged a number of demonstrations, demanding punishment of the culprits.