At least 25 persons were injured on Tuesday during an attack on an anti-Modi protest rally at the Dhaka University campus.
Chhatra League reportedly carried out the attack on the protesters of left-leaning bodies, and a photojournalist, who took out a rally protesting the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh on the occasion of Mujib Borsho and golden jubilee of independence celebrations.
The attack was carried out near the TSC of Dhaka University campus on Tuesday afternoon, where Samajtantrik Chhatra Front's President Masud Rana got injured.
The other injured are – Pragati Barman Tana, Meghmallar Bose, Asmaney Asha, Sumaiya Setu, among others. Two other photo journalists – Jibon Ahmed, of Daily Manab Zamin, and Rubel Rasid, of Daily Desh Rupantor, also sustained injuries during the attack.
Chhatra Front's DU unit president Salman Siddique said: “The ruling party associates swooped on our peaceful protest when we were preparing to burn the effigy of Modi. At least 25 people were injured and 15 of them are currently admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital [DMCH].”
Earlier on Thursday, Chhatra League's DU unit President Sonjit Chandra Das at a rally threatened the anti-Modi protesters, saying if they carried out protests in the campus, he would "peel off their skin."
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In another development on Tuesday morning, several activists of the ruling Awami League's student wing had snatched the effigy of the Indian prime minister from the Bangladesh Chhatra Federation, before they could set it alight, at the Raju memorial sculpture of DU campus.
Later, the Chhatra Federation activists burned several photos of Narendra Modi terming him, “a fascist ruler,” and protested his bilateral visit to Bangladesh.
While addressing a rally after the reported attack, Chhatra League President Al-Nahean Khan Joy said: “Many have started hatching conspiracies centring the visit of the Indian prime minister. We will not let them have the opportunity.”
He said: "We will not give anyone the opportunity to destabilize the university campus."
Meanwhile, Chhatra League General Secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee claimed members of a leftist group fought “among themselves” on the campus and some of their men were injured.
Hundreds of leaders and activists of Chhatra League took position at the Raju Memorial Sculpture and Madhur Canteen of the university from Monday morning, celebrating the fact that the Gandhi Peace Prize -2020 was conferred to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
