Violent Clashes Erupt Between Students And Paramilitary Forces In Dhaka | Video

Violent clashes erupted between students and members of a Bangladeshi paramilitary force near the Secretariat in Dhaka on Sunday night, leaving several injured from both sides.

The clashes began after 9 pm when students from Dhaka University marched to the Secretariat to confront Ansar members, whom they accused of being “agents of autocracy.” The clash involved chases and disruptions, prompting police to intervene in an attempt to restore order, Bangladeshi media reported.

Ansar is a paramilitary auxiliary force in the country. Their roles include helping government authorities in public security, participating in disaster management, supporting law enforcement, and aiding the armed forces.

Earlier on Sunday, students gathered at the Raju Memorial Sculpture and headed towards the Secretariat following reports that Ansar members were detaining Nahid Islam, an adviser in the interim government, and other coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination movement.

Student Protest Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah blamed former Ansar director general Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque for prolonging the blockade of the Secretariat, even after the Ansar members’ demands were met. Abdullah called for a rally at the Raju Memorial Sculpture, denouncing the Ansar force as autocratic.

The Ansar members had been protesting for two days, seeking the nationalisation of their jobs. They ended their demonstration earlier in the day after receiving assurances from Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the interim government’s adviser for home affairs.

Have ‘patience’

On Sunday, Bangladesh interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus appealed to the people to have “patience” as it is difficult to address the “mountain-like challenges”.

In a televised address to the nation, his second since assuming charge on August 8 after the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina on August 5, Yunus urged the people to refrain from storming institutions, putting pressure to accept cases and the tendency to do some kind of trial in advance by attacking people while taking them to the courts.

“I’ll just say, you have to be patient. It is difficult to overcome mountain-like challenges overnight,” he said, referring to the demands coming from various sections to punish those responsible for the deaths of many people during the recent anti-government protests.