Clashes at various places, 1 killed in Gazipur, 7 shot dead in Comilla
On Saturday, protests took place in at least 33 districts and metropolitan cities across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, as part of a protest march organized by the anti-discrimination student movement. The demonstrations, which saw participation from people of various professions and backgrounds, were marked by violence and clashes:
- **Gazipur:** A clash during the protest in Gazipur resulted in the death of one person. The situation escalated as police and protesters engaged in violent confrontations.
- **Comilla:** In Comilla, a tragic incident occurred when leaders and workers of the Awami League and its allied organizations attacked a student march. Seven people were shot dead, and at least 130 others were injured in the violence that affected seven districts.
- **Chittagong:** The residence of Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury in Chittagong was attacked, although he was not home at the time. Earlier in the day, the office of Chittagong-10 MP Mohiuddin Bachchu was also attacked and set on fire.
These events reflect the escalating tension and violence surrounding the ongoing student protests and the broader movement for anti-discrimination reforms.
On Saturday, protesters across Bangladesh disrupted key highways as part of their anti-discrimination march, which impacted several major routes:
- **Dhaka-Chittagong Highway**: Blocked at Kajla in Jatrabari.
- **Dhaka-Rajshahi Highway**: Blocked in front of the main gate of Rajshahi University.
- **Dhaka-Tangail Highway**: Blocked at Chandra in Tangail.
- **Bangabandhu Bridge Area**: Blocked, along with the Kaliakair area in Gazipur.
- **Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway**: Blocked at Mauna in Gazipur.
- **Dhaka-Aricha Highway**: Blocked in front of Jahangirnagar University.
- **Dhaka-Laxmipur Highway**: Blocked in front of the Laxmipur District Commissioner’s office.
- **Dhaka-Sylhet Highway**: Blocked in Brahmanbaria.
The ongoing anti-discrimination student movement, which has been active since July 1, has faced a tragic escalation. From July 16 to 21 alone, 213 people were killed in clashes related to the protests. The death toll has since risen to 217, with additional fatalities reported recently.
The movement, advocating for quota reforms and protesting violence against peaceful demonstrators, has called for widespread protest across neighborhoods and locations nationwide.
**Gazipur Incident**: In Sreepur, Gazipur, violence erupted when protesters clashed with police. The Mauna Highway police station and district police box were vandalized and set on fire, along with several vehicles. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to control the situation. Jahangir Alam, a 45-year-old local, was killed during the clash. According to reports, Alam was in a shop when the conflict broke out and was later found dead on the road. Although protesters claimed 100 were injured, official reports confirmed 20 injuries.
**Comilla Attack**: During a student march in Comilla, leaders and workers of the Awami League and its allies attacked the procession, resulting in seven fatalities and 20 injuries. Eyewitnesses reported that the attack occurred as the march neared the Police Lines. The Acting General Secretary of the Metropolitan Awami League denied the allegations of an attack, claiming their groups were there to resist opposition parties.
**Faridpur**: In Faridpur, police clashed with protesters who had marched from Faridpur Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical College. The police used sound grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd. Six protesters were reported injured by gunfire, including nursing student Sanjay Bairagi, who was hit by a rubber bullet and taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
### Counter-Chase in Tangail
In Tangail's Sakhipur, a clash occurred between Chhatra League members and protesters. The confrontation took place near Mokhtar Foara Square and the Sakhipur municipality's main gate. Police intervened by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. The clash resulted in injuries to eleven people, including three police officers.
Resident Medical Officer Dr. Monirul Islam of Sakhipur Upazila Health Complex reported that some injured individuals were treated for brick wounds and discharged, while a seriously injured person was transferred to Tangail Medical College Hospital.
Sakhipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sheikh Shahinur Rahman noted that this was the first time anti-discrimination activists had staged a protest in Sakhipur. The police used tear gas to manage the situation during the clash between the activists and Chhatra League members.
### Clash with Chhatra League in Naogaon
In Naogaon, students gathered at Kazi Mor around noon as part of their planned protest march. The procession proceeded towards Mukti intersection, where Chhatra League and Jubo League members began throwing bricks at the students. The students retaliated in kind, leading to a violent clash. Police intervened, using tear gas shells and rubber bullets to separate the two sides.
Dr. Laila Akhter of Naogaon General Hospital reported that thirteen people were admitted with injuries from brick attacks, primarily to their heads. One individual’s condition was critical and required hospitalization.
### Clash with Police in Sylhet
In Sylhet, protesters clashed with police in front of Shaheed Minar in Chowhatta around 5 PM. The students had been demonstrating peacefully since early afternoon when tensions suddenly escalated. Police used sound grenades, tear gas, and shotguns in an attempt to control the situation. Students claimed that the police attacked them without provocation, resulting in injuries to at least 30 protesters.
Deputy Commissioner of Sylhet Metropolitan Police (North), Azbahar Ali Sheikh, stated that the police had not initially obstructed the peaceful protest. He claimed that the situation deteriorated when the police were attacked by the protesters.
Additionally, in Companyganj upazila of Sylhet, it was reported that Awami League and Jubo League members threw bricks at the student protesters, leading to the blockade of the Sylhet-Kompaniganj-Bholaganj highway. Police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, resulting in at least 15 injuries.
### Clashes in Bogra
In Bogra, police clashed with protesting students, using tear gas shells, sound grenades, and rubber bullets. The incident occurred around 4 PM when a procession was moving through the city from Satmatha. Six people were shot, with one being treated at Bogra Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital and the other five receiving care at Muhammad Ali Hospital.
### Peaceful Protests
In numerous districts across Bangladesh, the anti-discrimination student movement's protest programs proceeded peacefully. According to Prothom Alo representatives, demonstrations were held without incident in at least 26 districts, including:
- **Mymensingh**
- **Tangail**
- **Pabna**
- **Narayanganj**
- **Rangpur**
- **Satkhira**
- **Kishoreganj**
- **Narsingdi**
- **Laxmipur**
- **Chandpur**
- **Lalmonirhat**
- **Jessore**
- **Jhalkathi**
- **Chuadanga**
- **Sunamganj**
- **Patuakhali**
- **Thakurgaon**
- **Gaibandha**
- **Panchagarh**
- **Joypurhat**
- **Chainawabganj**
- **Fenip**
Additionally, peaceful programs were conducted in:
- **Natore's Lalpur**
- **Brahmanbaria's Sarail**
- **Bogra's Dupchanchia and Sherpur**
- **Chittagong's Lohagara and Satkania**
- **Jahangirnagar University*
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