A group of stick-wielding men attacked protesters in Dhaka’s Mirpur on Thursday, the fifth day of campaigns for safe road by students, mostly of schools and colleges.
Around 4pm, a procession of students of the Police Memorial College, Adamji Cantonment School and College, Mirpur Girls High School on the road between Mirpur 14 and Mirpur 10 intersections were intervened by police as soon as it reached in front of the Kafrul Police station.
Chaos broke out in the area as police chased the students and charged batons on them. Soon after, a group of men armed with sticks arrived and beat up the students.
“Our procession was approaching towards Mirpur 10 intersection when police and some unidentified people, armed with sticks attacked us,” a witness told Bangla Tribune.
According to unconfirmed sources, the stick-wielding men belonged to Mirpur-based transport workers’ unions.
Police, however, denied attacking students.

“The protests were peaceful until the afternoon. But a group of protesters tried to vandalise the main entrance of the offices of the Police Order of Management as well as tried to enter the Kafrul police station premises. The police tried to stop the protesters, but they started to hurl stones and brickbats. Inspector Kamrul Islam of Kafrul police has been hospitalised with injuries,” said Mirpur Zone Assistant Police Commissioner Syed Mamun Mostofa.

Asked whether the students were attacked by outsiders, he replied, “It’s tough to identify who is who during a clash. There were hundreds of students.