At least 16 people were injured after a clash broke out between shopkeepers and students of Dhaka University at Rabindra Sarobar in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi on Friday.
The incident took place around 6.30pm on Friday.
The injured students are Mahfuzur Rahman Alif, Bayejid, Nasif, Azim Mahmud Tauhid, Sifatul Islam, Ajaha, Mahin, and Junaid.
They were immediately taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment, inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) police outpost, confirmed.
Meanwhile, injured restaurant staff were taken to Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital, said Borhan Uddin, manager of Bachelor Point Kebab shop.
The injured are Habib, Arif, Ripon, Al Amin Islam, Alim Mia, Arif, Alamin and Borhan Uddin. All are the staff of Bachelor Point Variates Kabab shop and Juice Bar and Kabab shop in the area.
Talking to the students, they said some of their friends went to Rabindra Sarobar and chatted and played cards in a shop. A staff of the shop told them to sit elsewhere and they were not allowed to play cards there. At one stage, the staff verbally abused one of the female students.
"After hearing about the matter some of our classmates and friends went there to resolve the issue but the staff of the shops beat them with rods and sticks, leaving them injured,” a student alleged.
When contacted, the manager and staff of the shop said, students without any reason carried out an attack and vandalised their shops and snatched money from the cash box.
Manager Borhan Uddin alleged more than a hundred students rushed to the shop, beat the staff and owners, and vandalised the shop. "As our cash box was open, they took our money amounting to more than 1 lakh," he added.
“When they came to settle the matter, I and my staff apologised to them but they didn't pay any attention,” the manager informed.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dhanmondi Police Station Parvez Islam said no complaint has been received yet.
“We have scheduled to talk with the DU proctor this evening. If he files any complaint, we will take action," added the OC.
