Bangladesh in chaos: Student protests over medical student’s death turn into violence

Students once again took to the streets of Bangladesh. Students of many universities in the capital Dhaka vandalized the government-run Shahid Suhrawardy College as part of a protest against the death of a medical student. A mob of students entered the Suhrawardy College campus and vandalized 6 vehicles there. The crowd of protesters then moved towards Kabi Nazrul Government College and tried to attack the college but were prevented from entering the college campus. During this, there was also a clash between the two groups, in which 30 people were injured.

Protesters also attacked the Dhaka National Medical College Hospital, where on November 18, negligence led to the death of 18-year-old Abhijit Halder, a student of Dr. Mahbubur Rahman Mullah College. Protesters broke the gates and windows of the hospital.

What led to this?

On November 16, Abhijeet, a class 12 student, was admitted to hospital after suffering from dengue, where he died on November 18. On November 19, his roommates Siam and Aftab posted on Facebook that he had died due to poor treatment in hospital. On November 21, his friends protested in front of the hospital, during which many students also joined them.

Army deployed in university dormitories

On Sunday morning, students ransacked showrooms around Suhrawardy College. The army was then deployed around colleges, hostels and places of worship in Dhaka.

Suhrawardy College faces a loss of Rs 35 crore

Suhrawardy College principal Kakoli Mukherjee said the losses were around Rs 35 crore. ” I blame myself as the principal and teacher for not teaching the students basic manners. Even though they are from another university, they are our sons after all. They celebrated by stealing books, money, certificates and documents, is this a student’s work? I tried to contact with the police, but they said they were busy protecting the National Medical College. Meanwhile, I had no option but to save the college.

30 people were injured in the clashes

The protesters alleged that on November 21, during a demonstration over Abhijit’s death, students of Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College attacked students of Mulla College. Thousands of students from colleges including Mulla College, Dhaka College, City College and Notre Dame College again gathered outside the hospital and protested against the death of a medical student. During this time, 30 people were injured in the clashes.

A bicycle, a car and an ambulance were vandalized at Suhrawardy College

The protest caused panic at Suhrawardy College. Protesters vandalized three bicycles, a car, microbes and an ambulance parked on the college campus. They destroyed furniture in classrooms and offices.