Clashes between student groups Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Islami Chhatra Shibir at Chattogram Government City College have sparked counter-protests at Chittagong University (CU). Last night, both factions organized separate marches in response to the recent tensions.
Around 9:30 pm yesterday, the CU chapter of JCD initiated a demonstration from Zero Point, advocating for a halt to what they termed as “hidden politics” and demanding accountability for the previous clashes. An hour later, members of Chhatra Shibir conducted their own procession at the same spot, urging swift arrests of those implicated in the altercations.
The JCD rally proceeded from Zero Point, passing through Suhrawardy Hall, AF Rahman Hall, and Alaol Hall, culminating at Gate No 2 with participants voicing slogans. During a speech, Organising Secretary Sazzad Hossain Hriday accused past perpetrators of the recent violence.
General Secretary Abdullah Al Noman highlighted that the protest was a reaction to assaults on students and JCD members, emphasizing the need to curtail “hidden” political engagements within educational institutions.
Simultaneously, Chhatra Shibir’s march followed a path from Zero Point through Suhrawardy Hall and Alaol Hall zones before circling back to its starting point. Organising Secretary Habibullah Khaled mentioned the longstanding issue of violence on campuses and urged a collective stand against such behavior.
Addressing the crowd, CU unit president of Shibir and Cucsu Vice-President Ibrahim Rony stressed the involvement of multiple parties in the earlier clashes and advocated for a peaceful campus atmosphere to prevent further escalations.
The clashes at Chattogram Government City College resulted in at least 20 injuries, stemming from a disagreement over the term “gupto” (covert) used in graffiti. The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between the student factions.