Vice-Chancellor of Jagannath University Professor Dr Md Rezaul Karim and Treasurer Professor Dr Sabina Sharmin visited protesting students on Wednesday around 3:15pm at the Kakrail Mosque Crossing, where students and faculty members had been staging a sit-in amid heavy rain.
Earlier in the day, police had launched a baton charge and fired tear gas and sound grenades on a student-teacher long march toward the residence of the chief adviser.
The attack left over a hundred people, including students, teachers and journalists, injured.
In protest, demonstrators regrouped near the Kakrail Mosque Crossing and continued their sit-in despite inclement weather.
Eyewitnesses reported that at approximately 11:30am, over a thousand students began marching towards the Jamuna area from Jagannath University.
Their progress was initially blocked near the Golap Shah Mazar gate in Gulistan and again near Matsya Bhaban.
As the procession reached the Kakrail Mosque Crossing, police suddenly launched tear gas, sound grenades and hot water jets at the crowd.
The assault resulted in injuries to more than a hundred participants.
Among the injured were faculty members including General Secretary of the Teachers’ Association Dr Md Rais Uddin, from the Department of English Nasir Uddin, from the Department of History Dr Md Bilal Hossain and Assistant Proctor Naim Siddiqui.
Journalists were also hurt, including General Secretary of the University Journalists’ Association Mahatab Hossain Limon, Sohanur Rahman of Dhaka Tribune and Mehedi Hasan of Daily Sangbad.
At least 30 students sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Among them are Omar Faruq, Sakib, Arif Aslam, Bin Mohammad Emon, Redwan, Asif, Rahman, Shafik, Mujahid, Nahid Hasan, Raihan, Jihad, Abu Bakkar, Newton Islam, Faruq Hossain, Rasel, Mahid, Rafiq and Jisanul, among others.
Dr Md Rais Uddin, secretary of the Teachers’ Association, said: “We will not leave this place until justice is served for the police assault on our students and our demands are met.”
In response, Deputy Commissioner of Ramna Zone Masud, said: “There is no scope for proceeding towards the Jamuna area.”
University Proctor Professor Dr Tajammul Haque condemned the police’s actions, saying: “The police attacked my colleagues and students. Even the Assistant Proctor was assaulted. The police acted inhumanely against a legitimate student movement. We will not leave until there is justice.”
On Tuesday, a delegation of students and teachers met with University Grants Commission (UGC) officials.
However, as no satisfactory response was received, the students launched their “Long March to Jamuna” campaign.
The program was declared by "July Oikya", a coalition of active political, social, and cultural organizations of the university.
The protesters have placed three key demands are that 70% of Jagannath University students must receive a housing allowance from the 2025–26 fiscal year until permanent housing is ensured.
The proposed full budget for the university for FY 2025–26 must be approved without any reductions.
The university’s second campus project must be approved at the next ECNEC meeting and implemented as a priority initiative.
