Countrywide 'complete shutdown' Thursday: Quota protest coordinator
A few journalists covering the developments have been injured in separate clashes
Police have fired tear shells and sound grenades at protesting students for quota reform in the Dhaka University premises while trying to evict them from the halls.
The protesting students have been in a chase and counter chase near the VC Chattar area where police reportedly fired a few rounds of rubber bullets, tear gas and sound grenades to disperse try and disperse them.
A few journalists covering the developments have been injured during separate clashes.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Earlier on Wednesday, police set up checkpoints at all entrances of DU to maintain peace and security in the university area. Multiple water cannons, along with riot police, were seen on alert near the base of the Raju Memorial at the university.
This live update from 12pm Wednesday (17 July) to 1:10am Thursday (18 July) is closed. Click here for Thursday's live updates.
1:10am
The nationwide "complete shutdown" will be enforced at all public and private institutions today (18 July) except hospitals, media, emergency service institutions, Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement has said.
"Railways will be under complete shutdown. No vehicles except ambulances, media vehicles, and vehicles engaged in emergency services will run on the road," Asif wrote in a post on Facebook.
"The protesters will not be responsible for any untoward incident if any institution remains open," he said.
Asif also urged protesters to keep locks with them during today's programme and use them to shut establishments when necessary.
1:00am
Youth shot to death during clashes at Shonir Akhra
A person named Siyam, 18, was killed from 'rubber bullet wounds' received during a clash between police and protesters, who were joined by locals, at Shonir Akhra today. His body has already been handed over, confirmed Dhaka Medical College Hospital outpost Inspector Bacchu Mia.
Whether he is a protester or local, could not be identified immediately.
11:45pm
Teachers and students are fearing they might come under attack by unidentified men, believed to be 'outsiders', who are entering the Jahangirnagar University campus, university journalists present at the spot told TBS.
At the same time, there is also the possibility of a police raid. With power outages ongoing and most students already leaving the campus hall. But many are still in the halls, the journalists said.
They further said many teachers of the university have invited the students to stay at their homes considering the situation.
11:30pm
Law enforcer highups meet at Dhaka University VC residence today.
The meeting began at 9:00pm. No decision has been announced as of yet.
11:20pm
The general public set fire in several places in front of the Kajla area in Shonir Akhra, our correspondents report from the spot.
11:00pm
Most of the students of Jahangirnagar University have left the halls, according to our JU correspondent.
Meanwhile, there is no electricity in any of the JU halls other than Sheikh Russell Hall and Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Hall.
10:40pm
There is no power on the Jahangirnagar University campus. A teacher, on condition of anonymity, told TBS that he is hearing explosions of sound grenades on campus.
He reported a heavy presence of police, BGB, and RAB in the campus area.
10:15pm
The BNP have urged its party members and the general public to join tomorrow's 'complete shutdown' programme, announced by the students protesting for quota reform.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced virtually at a press conference today.
The BNP leader said BNP extended its full support to the student movement.
10:10pm
Four protesting students were arrested from the proctor's office of Rajshahi University.
Multiple sources from law enforcement agencies confirmed the matter.
The university administration subsequently handed them over to the police at 7:35pm.
10:00pm
At least 80 were injured at Jahangirnagar University during the clash between police and protesting students today.
Most of them have been injured by rubber bullets fired by the police, Dr Md Shamsur Rahman, the chief medical officer at the university's medical centre told The Business Standard.
"Starting from 5:30pm, injured students started to arrive at the medical centre. By 8pm, we had treated about 60-70 students, 10-15 of whom were severely injured and referred to Enam Medical College Hospital in Savar," he added.
9:55pm
Quota protesters in Barishal took control of the streets despite a 10-hour-long clash with police today.
Since 1pm, several chase and counter chase occurred between students and policemen. At least 80 people, including police and journalists, were injured in the clashes.
Police fired tear shells and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, but they again regrouped and gathered on the road.
9.30pm
Locals have joined the protesters during clashes with police in Shonir Akhra area of the capital.
Multiple motorcycles, toll plaza booths on the adjacent Hanif Flyover and a police box have been set on fire and vandalised, our correspondents report from the spot.
Tyres were also seen burning on the road.
According to locals, police have fired teargas shells, and rubber bullets targeting the protesters. The clashes have left many injured.
However, details on the numbers could not be confirmed immediately.
Shahidul Islam, station officer of Postogola Fire Service said at least one unit had reached the spot to douse the fire.
9:00pm
At least six people, including a two-year-old child, were injured in police rubber bullet fire at Dhaka's Shonir Akhra area, journalists present at the spot claimed.
8:00pm
Quota protesters have announced that they will launch a 'complete shutdown' programme tomorrow in protest of "the killings, beatings of protesters and others by police, BGB, RAB and SWAT".
In a Facebook post made at 7:44pm today, Asif Mahmud, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement, said, "We are announcing a 'Complete Shutdown' across the country tomorrow (July 18) to protest against the brutal attacks of the police, BGB, RAB, SWAT on the peaceful movement of students, to protest the murders, to demand the prosecution of the murderers, to ensure a terror-free campus and to push our one-point demand."
"Other than hospitals and emergency, no institution's doors will open. Other than ambulances, no cars will ply the street. I am calling on students of every school, college, university, private university, and Madrasah to help make tomorrow's programme a success.
"To guardians, I say that we are your children. Stand by us, protect us. This fight is not for students alone. It's a fight for the mass public of this country, irrespective of groups and opinions," he also wrote in the post.
7:50pm
A closer look at some of the tear shells fired by police today revealed they have been expired two months ago.
One of the shells fired during the DU clash has May 2019 written as the manufacturing date and it was expired on May 2024.
7:40pm
Police, BGB, and RAB personnel dispersed protesting students of Rajshahi University.
They fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound grenades to disperse the protesters. Police then rescued the VC, Pro-VC, and other university officials who were trapped in the administration building.
VC Golam Shabbir Sattar said that the university campus is now under the control of the administration and law enforcement agencies.
Sattar also alleged that outsiders had infiltrated the protest and created an unstable situation.
Rajshahi Range DIG Anisur Rahman said that their mission was to rescue the VC, and they have done so successfully.
7:30pm
Some students got on a microbus from Jahangirnagar University and began to exit the campus.
After travelling a short distance, they were stopped by police.
The policemen then forced the door of the microbus to be opened and began to attack the students indiscriminately.
They opened both doors and started kicking the students and hitting them with rifle butts.
One of the policemen then suddenly pointed his rifle at the students, ready to shoot, when others stopped him.
Prothom Alo University representative Abdullah Al Mamun was brutally beaten by the policemen as he was recording the video during the incident.
7:20pm
At JU, Vice Chancellor Nurul Alam and other teachers, syndicate members, and registrar building staff have come out of the Registrar Building after police reached the spot. They were locked up by students in the building.
7:10pm
BGB, RAB and police have entered the Rajshahi University campus with watercanon.
7:00pm
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk has urged the authorities in Bangladesh to engage with the student protesters.
"All acts of violence and use of force, especially resulting in loss of life, must be investigated and perpetrators held to account," reads a message shared by the UN Rights body through X today.
Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly are fundamental human rights, the message reads.
6:50pm
At Rajshahi University, students have locked up the vice chancellor and pro-vice chancellor in the Administration Building. They have taken positions in front of the building.
Police have been deployed near the Kajla Gate of the university.
6:40pm
Violent clashes are still ongoing between the police and protesters at Jahangirnagar University, with dozens reportedly injured so far. While police fire tear shells, rubber bullets and sound grenades, students are throwing bricks and stones targeting the law enforcers.
6:30pm
BCL men reportedly attacked students who were evicted from the DU halls by police in Shahbagh and Katabon areas.
6:20pm
While covering the news at DU campus, journalists Akram Hossain from Kalbela, Rahmat Ullah from SA TV, and Yasir Arsalan Nishan from Business Bangladesh were injured by tear gas and sound grenades fired by the police.
6:10pm
Protesting students at Rajshahi University held senior officials, including the vice chancellor and pro-vice chancellor, confined in the administrative building and cut off the electricity supply.
6:05pm
Intense clashes between police and protesting students are taking place in Jahangirnagar University. Students said there is no internet connectivity on the campus.
6:00pm
Several students and policemen were injured in Barishal as violent clashes erupted between police and the Barishal University students.
5:44pm
Police are firing tear shells and sound grenades in the Nilkhet intersection in Dhaka at students of different colleges.
5:35pm
Police were evicting the DU students from campus via the university gate beside Nilkhet.
5:25pm
Police were firing blank shots and chasing quota protesters on the Jahangirnagar University (JU) campus, a student of the university told TBS over the phone.
Police have been deployed on campus in armoured cars as BGB is stationed outside the main entrance.
5:15pm
Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement at DU, said, "Police are torturing us in medieval method on the campus. Where is our VC at this time? Is he dead? Then we want to pray in his janazah."
5:05pm
Police were moving towards Surja Sen, Bijoy Ekattor, Bangabandhu, and other student halls to evict the students.
They were also firing tear shells in front of the hall premises. Some students were fleeing the campus through the Nilkhet intersection.
5:00pm
"The police are attacking us for no reason at all. After the funeral prayer, we were supposed to sit with a group of the government. But the police are deliberately destabilising the situation on campus," said Sarjis Alam, one of the coordinators of the quota reform movement at DU, while speaking to the media in front of the DU VC's residence.
"We will not leave the field. We will continue the movement," he added.
4:43pm
A clash erupted between the quota protestors and police near the residence of the Dhaka University vice-chancellor.
Police lobbed sound grenades and tear shells targeting the protesters when the students took position in front of the vice chancellor's residence around 4:43pm.
Earlier, journalists present at the scene alleged that they were also targeted by police with sound grenades.
Currently, the protestors are gathered in the Mall Chhattar area, while police remain stationed within the vice chancellor's residence.
4:40pm
Chase, counter chase was going on near the VC residence between police and protesting students.
4:29pm
Police fired a few rounds of rubber bullets, tear gas and sound grenades to disperse a rally of protesting students in front of the Ruqayyah Hall.
A few journalists covering the developments have been injured during the clash.
4:27pm
Law enforcers fired sound grenades targetting protester carrying 'coffin' near the VC Chattar at DU
4:20 PM
Leaders and activists of various wings of the ruling Awami League, including Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Jubo League from Narayanganj, Gazipur, Manikganj and some other districts adjacent to Dhaka gathered at Shahbagh.
Members of Dhaka city units of BCL and Jubo League were trying to enter Dhaka University campus with rods, stumps and hockey sticks in their hands.
The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and police members so far obstructed them by putting up a barricade at the entrances of the university.
3:40pm
A part of protesting students marched towards Dhaka University's VC residence with an empty coffin and now preparing to hold a 'ghaibana janaza'.
Members of police and RAB were also present and on alert.
3:15pm
Activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) allegedly attacked the protesting students of the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) in front of its campus on Mohammadpur's Beribadh road.
2:52pm
A journalist of Channel S was also injured in TSC as part of an exploded sound grenade hit him.
He said around 40-45 journalists were covering the developments when police reportedly exploded sound grenades in front of them.
2:47pm
Police held two from TSC. One of them was identified as Aktar Hossain, a leader of Gano Odhikar.
2:45pm
Journalists covering the event at TSC claimed police reportedly threw five sound grenades at them.
Ariful Islam, a journalist from Protidiner Bangladesh, said five sound grenades were unexpectedly thrown at them while they were gathering news, resulting in several journalists being injured.
Among the injured, one journalist works at Ajker Patrika and another at Janabani.
2:40pm
Our correspondents just reported hearing the sound of an explosion and bullet firing in front of the Ruqqaya hall.
2:30pm
JU students throw shoes at Registrar, takes face-to-face position with police
Quota reform protesters of Jahangirnagar University have thrown shoes at the Registrar (Contractual) of the university during the syndicate meeting held today noon (17 July). The incident happened when the university's registrar Abu Hasan arrived to reach a decision about the closure of the university at the meeting.
The glasses of the registrar building were also broken when the agitating students threw brick chips there. Later, the students locked the gate of the building and started a demonstration protesting the university authority's decision to shut down the campus.
The students have taken face-to-face position with the police on the road adjacent to the Central Shaheed Minar.
2:05pm
Police set up a checkpoint in front of the Shahbag police station. Various affiliates of Awami League's Dhaka Metropolitan unit have positioned themselves in front of the National Museum.
Police said the checkpoint has been set up in the morning to maintain peace and security in the university area.
Multiple water cannons, along with riot police, were seen on alert near the base of the Raju Memorial at the university.
1:30pm
Many students were seen leaving their halls after the authority's announcement of varsity closure.
1:20pm
A team of Dhaka University (DU) teachers entered the vice chancellor's residence to talk about the decision regarding varsity closure taken during a syndicate meeting today.
Prior to entering the VC's residence, they held a procession and took position in front of the Oporayejo Bangla in protest of the attacks on quota reform students.
1:10pm
Members of the police and RAB were not allowing anyone to enter the TSC area of Dhaka University.
1:00pm
The DU campus was full of members of the police, RAB and BGB now, with students holding rallies and chanting slogans in small groups across the campus.
12:30pm
Police dispersed a group of students protesting in front of VC Chattar against the DU authorities' decision to shut down the campus indefinitely.
