Bangladesh campus clashes leave 150 students injured

KARACHI, Pakistan

Security forces were called in after 150 students were injured in clashes between two rival student groups at a university in Bangladesh’s southwestern Khulna district, local media reported on Wednesday.

Clashes erupted on Tuesday at Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) between activists from Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatradal, a student organization affiliated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party of former Prime Minister Khalid Zia, and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM), a group that led the uprising that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee to India last August, according to local daily Prothom Alo.

Clashes broke out after the youth wing of Zia's party attempted to recruit students but was stopped by ADSM activists.

Both sides used bricks and other objects to attack one another.

Two Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) platoons were deployed to control the situation.

According to ADSM secretary Zahidur Rahman, 50 colleagues were severely injured in the clashes, while over 150 students received minor injuries.

While confirming that 150 students were injured in the clashes, police said they arrested at least five people on charges related to their involvement.