Police detain students from HC premises amid protests, later release most of them

Police detained at least seven students from the High Court premises today (31 July), our correspondent reports from the spot. However, most of them were later released.

People started gathering near the High Court premises prior to the hearing of a petition seeking directives not to shoot students at quota reform protesters during their programmes. However, the hearing was postponed as one of the judges of the HC bench fell sick.

People started gathering near the High Court premises on Wednesday (31 July) prior to the hearing of a petition seeking directives not to shoot students at quota reform protesters during their programmes. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS

After the news broke, lawyers and students brought out processions near the court premises and the Doyel Chattar area of Dhaka University in the afternoon. Police detained at least seven students from the area.

At one point the law enforcement officials locked the High Court's main gate locking the lawyers inside the court premise. The lawyers then started chanting various slogans in protest.

Police arrest students from High Court premises on 31 July 2024. Photo: Joynal Abedin Shishir/TBS

Students gather at TSC of Dhaka University on 31 July. Photo: Joynal Abedin Shishir/TBS

As of 1:10pm, throngs of students were seen gathering in Doyel Chattar and TSC areas of Dhaka University. They were also accompanied by some teachers as well. They brought out rallies while chanting "We want justice".

Protesters near the High Court premises. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain

Meanwhile, there was huge police presence in the areas as well.

Protestors started leaving the area around 3:30pm.

Shehreen Amin Monami, faculty member of the department of Public Administration at DU, has reportedly been injured in a scuffle with police near Curzon Hall on the university campus.