At least 40 people were injured in violent clashes between the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and the Anti-discrimination Student Movement at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) on Tuesday. The confrontation stemmed from opposing views over the university’s ban on student politics.
The altercations, which began in the afternoon, continued into the evening, leaving many students injured. KUET has had a ban on student politics since August 5, following the fall of the Awami League government.
According to sources on campus, the JCD distributed leaflets on Monday calling for the resumption of student politics at the university. In response, students from the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, supported by other general students, organized a protest on Tuesday, parading the campus and chanting slogans like “No place for student politics at KUET” and “We want a politics-free campus.”
While the protest was ongoing, JCD activists passed through the area, and tensions escalated quickly into a chase-and-counter-chase. The clashes spread beyond the KUET campus, sparking a larger conflict.
Abdul Hannan Masud, the central chief organizer of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, took to Facebook, accusing Chhatra Dal of using violent tactics reminiscent of the banned Chhatra League. He alleged that the JCD was trying to disrupt KUET’s peaceful environment and warned that their actions would ultimately lead to their downfall.
Several students involved in the protest told *The Daily Star* that Chhatra Dal activists, along with some locals, attacked them with sticks, injuring many, including some students who suffered head wounds. They vowed to prevent any attempt to bring politics back to the campus.
A Chhatra Dal leader, however, claimed that the clashes were sparked by members of Chhatra Shibir and some supporters of the previous student government, who were attempting to block Chhatra Dal’s political activities at KUET.
According to Khan Jahan Ali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Kabir Hossain, around 40 to 45 individuals have been injured and are being treated at various locations. To restore order, a joint force has been deployed, including two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), to control the situation.
