Brahmanbaria town tuned into a battle field after the death of an eighth grade madrasa student early yesterday while undergoing treatment at the sadar hospital.
Deceased Masudur Rahman, 25, son of Elias Miah from Nabinagar area of the district, was a student of Jamia Islamia Yunisia Madrasa in the town. He sustained injuries during clashes with the police and local traders on Monday night.
Hearing the news of his death, students from different madrasas carried out massive vandalism yesterday morning in a planned manner in some parts of the town including the railway station, local branch of a private bank and Music Maestro Alauddin Khan Centre.
A three-member probe body led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Chittagong range) Mahbubur Rahman was formed to investigate the matter. Other members of the committee are the additional SPs of the district police and the Police Bureau of Investigation.
Two officers – Brahmanbaria model police station OC Akul Chandra Biswas and Assistant Superintendent of Police Tapos Ranjan Bose – were withdrawn yesterday for smooth investigation, Assistant Inspector General of Police (Media, HQ) told the Dhaka Tribune.
On the other hand, teachers of the madrasa after a meeting called a dawn to dusk hartal in the town for today. Senior teacher Maulana Mobarak Ullah made the announcement around noon saying that the shutdown would be observed under the banner of Touhidi Janata.
They also demanded suspension of the OC and the ASP, and proper investigation into the death of Masud.
According to eyewitnesses and police, a student of the madrasa went to nearby Zilla Parishad Market to buy a mobile phone around 5pm on Monday. At that time, the student engaged in an argument with the trader, Rony Ahmed of Bijoy Telecom.
The student, who was allegedly assaulted as claimed by his fellows, could not be identified.
After the incident, the student went back to the madrasa and came back with 50 others equipped with sticks around 7pm and vandalised the shop. A clash ensued as the traders chased the madrasa students with the help of some supporters of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the ruling party’s student wing.
A local seeking anonymity said that shop owner Rony was the relative of a former Chhatra League leader.
Being informed, police rushed to the spot but did not take any action until the agitating madrasa students hurled bricks on them. Police fired several hundred rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to take the situation under control.
The clash continued in the madrasa area until 10:30pm when more than 50 people including 15 police members, journalists and Masud were injured.
Masud was first taken to a local clinic by his fellows, and later to the sadar hospital around 3am. Emergency Medical Officer Mainul Haque said they had found Masud dead when he was brought to the hospital.
The doctor said that they had found injury marks on his chest and waist, but could not confirm immediately whether the injuries were caused by the police firing.
Enraged by the death of Masud and instigated by some Facebook pages run by Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir members, the agitated madrasa students launched planned attacks on different establishments in the town from 10am until the evening.
Additional number of police, and members of the Rapid Action Battalion and the Border Guard Bangladesh were deployed on Monday night. But they could not prevent the demonstrators from vandalising the establishments.
They went on a rampage in several areas including TA road, Kumarkhali crossing and Loknath Tankpar. They also vandalised Muktijoddha Sangsad Complex, Banglar Songskriti Moncho on Shahid Direndra Dutta premises and the railway station.
Train communication from Dhaka to Chittagong and Sylhet was suspended for nearly eight hours as the agitators removed fish-plates around 11am. The madrasa students also vandalised the station’s ticket counter, eight CCTV cameras, office of the station master and the passengers’ waiting room.
At noon, another group of students attacked the office of a local lawmaker, vandalised Music Maestro Alauddin Khan Centre and the residence of former Chhatra League leader Mahmudul Haque, and torched three motorcycles in front of his house. They also vandalised a branch of Bank Asia, Industrial School and Proshika office.
The other group attacked on the office of local MP Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in Hawlader area of the twon’s Fakirapool.
