Quota reform activists at Jahangirnagar University were subjected to violent attacks by the university's Chhatra League unit, in a night of violence, mayhem and seesawing tensions, although it may have eventually ended much better than it looked at one point for the protesters.
The JU campus had been tense all day throughout Monday, with Chhatra League activists bringing in outsiders, leading to clashes between general students and the police, and turning the campus into a battlefield.
More than 50 individuals, including a teacher, were injured after activists of the ruling party student front attacked a gathering of quota reform protesters in the evening.
The injured teacher is Awalad Hossain, professor of the Department of Chemistry and transport officer of the university. The injured students were taken to the university's medical centre.
The students protesting for quota reform brought out a procession in front of the university library around 6:30pm. When the procession reached Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman residential hall, Chhatra League activists led by University unit President Aktaruzzaman Sohel and General Secretary Habibur Rahman Liton, attacked the procession leaving several students injured including some female students.
With word going around of Chhatra League preparing another, bigger, quota reform activists had taken refuge around the Vice Chancellor's residence, regarding it as the only safe space on campus. But they turned out to be wrong, as they would soon find out.
Before that, however, shortly after midnight, over 150 Chhatra League members and outsiders swooped on them, according to the students. The attackers wore helmets and wielded sharp weapons, with some seen throwing petrol bombs. Seeking safety, the students took shelter inside the Vice Chancellor's residence, but Chhatra League members continued to hurl bricks at them.
At one point the police arrived, prompting Chhatra League members to move back from the Vice Chancellor's main gate to the street. However, by 1:45 AM, they broke through the gate and entered the residence, throwing several petrol bombs, damaging lights, and violently attacking the activists while the Vice Chancellor remained inside.
Eventually, around 3am, hundreds of students marched to the VC's residence and succeeded in driving away the Chhatra League attackers.
Over 500 students from various halls marched towards the Vice Chancellor's residence, chasing away the Chhatra League members. The enraged students then clashed with the confused police, who used tear gas to disperse them.
Earlier on Monday evening, under the banner of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, students held a procession from the central library. They were attacked near the Bat Tala area, injuring over fifty students. By 8:30pm, the activists had gathered in front of the Vice Chancellor's residence, demanding justice and the expulsion of illegal students from the halls.
