Fresh clashes erupt in Dhaka, several injured; political turmoil continues

Dhaka: After a lull in violence from regime change in Bangladesh, fresh clashes erupted in capital Dhaka on Sunday night, NDTV reported.

The clashes between students and Ansar members near the Secretariat left several people from both sides injured, the outlet reported citing the Dhaka Tribune.

It all broke out after 9 pm when both sides engaged in confrontation leading to chasing with police intervening to restore order.

Students from Dhaka University earlier took to gathering at the Raju Memorial Sculpture ahead of marching to the Secretariat.

They were to confront Ansar members who they termed ‘agents of autocracy’ according to the report.

It followed reports that a group of Ansar members detained at the Secretariat Nahid Islam, an adviser in the interim government and coordinator of anti-quota protest along with other coordinators including Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and others.

Meanwhile, Student Protest Coordinator Hasnat Abdullah urged students gather at the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University alongside blaming in a Facebook post former director general of Ansar, Maj Gen AKM Aminul Haque for the continuing blockade of the Secretariat, even after Ansar members’ demands were met.

Hasnat Abdullah on his Facebook wrote: ‘Everyone, come to Raju. The autocratic forces are trying to make a comeback through the Ansar force. Even after their demands were met, we were kept locked in the Secretariat.’

Ansar members ended their two days’ protest for the nationalization of their jobs earlier in the day, after receiving assurances from Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the interim government's adviser for home affairs.