#Title

QUOTA REFORM

Violence erupts as BCL, protesters lock horns
STAR REPORT
Protests demanding quota reforms in government jobs escalated into widespread violence across the country yesterday, as students retaliated against previous attacks by Chhatra League members and continued their demonstrations.
In Dhaka, major thoroughfares and university campuses became battlegrounds as clashes erupted between protesters, police, and ruling party supporters.
But the violence was not only limited to the capital, rather it spread like wildfire across the country.
At Jahangirnagar University, at least 70 individuals, including students, teachers, journalists, and police, were injured in clashes that started when armed individuals, allegedly Chhatra League members, attacked protesters near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence late at night.
The injured were rushed to Enam Medical College for treatment, while university authorities convened an emergency meeting to form a committee to investigate the incident and ensure medical support for the victims.
Manosh Chowdhury, a professor at JU, criticised the administration for failing to prevent unauthorised entry onto campus, which he believes exacerbated the violence.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi University witnessed similar turmoil as students broke locks on hall gates, blockaded the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway, and ransacked dormitories in search of Chhatra League members.
The rooms of RU BCL President Mostafizur Rahman Galib and General Secretary Asadullah-Hil-Galib were vandalised.
Earlier, around 2:30pm, BCL members chased away students and forced them into the halls. They also locked the hall gates. However, around 3:00pm, students broke the locks and brought out protests, carrying bamboo and sticks in hand.
In Barishal, Government BM College, nine protesters were injured as BCL members attacked students.
In response, protestors blocked Barishal-Kuakata highway and attacked a police box.
At least seven cops were reportedly injured at the time.
The Daily Star’s photojournalist, Titu Das, was injured by a tear gas shell fired by police in Barishal.
The unrest spread to other districts as well.
In Sirajganj, clashes between students and police left at least 20 injured. Two were left with bullet wounds at the time.
In Faridpur, six students were injured as BCL members attacked protesters.
Meanwhile, students of Pabna University of Science and Technology brought out protest rallies and blocked the Dhaka-Pabna highway.
In Tangail, at least three students were injured after a procession of quota protesters came under attack by BCL men at the town’s Shaheed Minar area at around 11:00am.
Later, students of Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University and different colleges blocked the Dhaka-Tangail highway for around an hour from 1:15pm.
In Mymensingh, Bangladesh Agricultural University students staged a demonstration at Mukta Moncha around 3:00pm. Students of Mymensingh Medical College and Community Based Medical College also organised protest rallies and blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
Protestors blocked the Dhaka-Sylhet highway at Bhelanagar area under Narsingdi Sadar upazila for hours.
Chase and counter-chase took place between them and BCL activists in the area for around two hours, starting at 2:00pm.
The Daily Star’s Narsingdi correspondent, Jahidul Islam, was injured as a group of BCL men In
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