Clashes have erupted between protesters demanding safer roads and ruling Awami League activists in Dhaka’s Jigatala.
According to unverified reports, a group of student protesters allegedly attacked the party chief’s Dhanmondi 3/A offices near the Jhigatal bus stop on rumours of one of their fellows being held by Awami League activists.
A large swathe of the area has turned into a battlefield as Awami League activists, police and student protester are chasing and hurling stones at each other.
Some of the student protesters have been reportedly assaulted by ruling party men.
The trouble began when a group of student protesters marched to the AL offices around 1am on rumours of one of their fellows being held by ruling party activists.
The students allegedly hurled stones and brickbats at the offices, triggering running battles between them and AL activists on the street.
Police intervened around 2:30pm, when they lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the confronting students and AL activists.
The clashes are continuing with AL activists, who have taken position in front of the BGB headquarters entrance in Jigatala, chasing away the students to the Science Lab intersection.
Police have occupied the Jigatala intersection, said witnesses.
Some of the witnesses have claimed of hearing shots fired during the chaos while some others claimed ruling party men physically assaulting student protesters before dragging them to the party offices.
Unconfirmed reports say more than a hundred students have been injured in attacks by ruling party men.
Police said the protesters hurled stones at them.
“They hurled stones and brickbats at us. We are monitoring the whole situation before deciding on the next course of action,” said Ramna Division Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar.